264 The h ish Naturalist. Novembef , 



great Importance of this inquiry was emphasized by quotations showing 

 how much higher, on the average, was the training and qualifications 

 of the German chemists, the result being the capture by the latter of 

 lucrative chemical industries which were actually first made possible by 

 discoveries in this country. 



Attention was then called to the phenomena of fluorescence aud 

 phosphorescence exhibited b}' diamonds, and it was suggested that an 

 investigation into these problems might be carried out with the aid of 

 one's own or one's friends' diamonds. The latter appeared to be chiefly 

 suggested as necessitating less risk (personally). An appeal was also 

 made for the collecting of statistics to find out the behaviour of the sea- 

 weed Ulva latissinia under certain circumstances, especially in sewage- 

 polluted and non-polluted areas, and generally an investigation on the 

 special functions of certain algae. 



Section C — Suggestions of a geological character were made by 

 Messrs. Kendai,!,, Lomas, Woodward, and Watts. The first-named 

 referred to the Erratic Blocks Committee of the British Association, and 

 said that in Ireland, with the exception of Counties Antrim aud Down, 

 practically no research was being carried out on the distribution of 

 erratics. He ofTered to send to any Society interested in the question a 

 type collection of well-authenticated specimens to aid their researches. 

 Mr. lyOMAS spoke on the Trias Committee, and pointed out that Trias 

 fossils were not systematically looked for. He asked, also, for photos ot 

 foot-prints on slabs of Trias sandstones, with a view to determine the 

 horizon of the foot-print beds. 



Mr. Woodward referred to the necessity for the registration of type 

 fossils and figured specimens, and Prof. WatTS spoke on the desirability 

 of investigating the flow of underground waters. 



Professor WatTS also drew attention to the Geological Photographs 

 Committee of the Association, and mentioned that in Ireland a large 

 number of counties are yet unrepresented by photographs illustrating 

 local geology. Amongst such counties should be mentioned Wicklow, 

 Wexford and Waterfoid, Westmeath, Longford, King's and Queen's 

 Counties, Kildare, Kilkenny, Carlow, Roscommon, Leitrim, Monaghau, 

 and Tyrone, He urged on the local Societies the great desirability of 

 securing photographs of such sections as may be only temporarily ex- 

 posed. 



Section D— The representative of Section D. referred to a paper read in 

 that Section dealing with the different markings which appear on fish 

 scales according to the age of the fish, and suggested an investigation of 

 this character as suitable for members of local Societies. Reference was 

 also made to the fact that protective mimicry is not uncommon amongst 

 many insects of our own fauna, and that cases of this kind require 

 detailed investigation and description. 



Mr. BivES showed some schedules adopted by the Cambridge 

 Entomological and Natural History Society, with a view to the recording 

 thereon of the observations made by local naturalists. He spoke on 



