NovemlDcr, 1908. The Irish Natufalist. 209 



THE 

 BRITISH ASSOCIATION 



IN 



DUBLIN. 



The Dublin meeting of the British Association for the 

 Advancement of Science, for long anticipated with pleasure 

 b}' Irish naturalists and men of science generally, was held as 

 arranged during the w^eek from the 2nd to the 9th September. 

 We believe that the general verdict of cross-channel visitors 

 pronounced the meeting to have been a distinct success. Nearly 

 2,300 members and associates attended — a larger number 

 than at most of the meetings held during recent years, but 

 300 fewer than at the Dublin meeting of 1878. It is to be 

 feared that this falling off from the standard of thirty years 

 ago shows a want of advance in scientific interest among the 

 people of the Irish capital. We can but hope that the great 

 meeting of this year may lead to a true "Advancement of 

 Science " among us, a recognition of the claims and importance 

 of science in the fields of general culture and of special in- 

 dustry, an increasing interest in the progress of science among 

 the intelligent public. 



FORMER MEETINGS IN DUBLIN. 



This year's gathering of the Association has been its eighth 

 on Irish soil and its fourth in the Irish capital. Belfast has 

 entertained the '' Parliament of Science," three times — in 

 1852, 1874, ^^^^ ^902 ; Cork once— in 1843 ; Dublin four times 

 — in 1835, 1857, 1878, and 1908. It is noteworthy that each of 

 the last three meetings in Dublin has been held a few years after 

 a meeting in Belfast. It is to be hoped that Ireland may 

 have the pleasure of another visit from the Association 

 before man}^ more years shall have passed. Is it not time 

 for Cork to take steps to secure a second meeting in the 

 near future ? 



A 



