1902. The Biifis/i Association in Belfast. 265 



the merits of the scheme, and its usefulness in obtaining all kinds of 

 information on natural history subjects. 



vSection E— Dr. H. R. Mili. asked that members of local Societies 

 should make and record observations on any variations in the forms and 

 courses of lakes and rivers which may come under their notice. He also 

 urged that rain-fall observations should be carried out, by means of rain- 

 gauges. A large number of observers is necessar}- to check results, and 

 also to establish the period of the supposed cycles of rain-fall, whether 

 eleven 3'ears or thirty-five years. Its high value in connection with the 

 utilisation of water-power was commented on, and it was mentioned 

 that observations of less than thirty 5'ears cannot be relied on to give 

 accurate information in this particular economic problem. 



The suggestions made by Sections F and G hardly come within the 

 scope of Field Club work, and need not be referred to here. 



Mr. Coffey, from Section H, referred to the question of the protection 

 of ancient monuments, some of which have quite recently been broken 

 up for road-metal by contractors. The desirability of creating public 

 interest in the matter was urged. Mr. Coffey also suggested that experi- 

 ments should be carried out on a large scale to establish what nature 

 can do in the way of producing flint-chips, some of which appear to 

 resemble closely the rude forms referred to human agencies. 



Mr. Bevan urged the desirability of a systematic archaeological survey 

 of the kingdom, county by county, and asked the assistance of members 

 of local societies. 



Section K asked for help and assistance from natural history photo- 

 graphers in obtaining good pictures of interesting plants and of plant 

 associations. 



The Sectional Meetings. 

 In this magazine we can only concern ourselvevS specially with 

 those Sections— Geology, Zoology, Botany, Geography, and 

 Anthropology, that can be considered as pertaining to natural 

 science. Taking the Association as a whole, there can be no 

 doubt that the popular Sections were Economics and Educa- 

 tion. It is not for us to discuss the many problems that were 

 raised, especially in Section L. We would only express an 

 earnest hope that the attention paid to scientific education in 

 the meetings may bear fruit in an increased scientific interest 

 throughout the country, and that when next the Association 

 visits Ireland, we may not have to deplore any lack of local 

 support. The discussions of Section L were transferred at 

 the close of the meeting to Dublin, where, in Alexandra Col- 

 lege (dare we write that most enlightened of our educational 

 institutions ?), a conference on the teaching of natural science 

 in schools was held under the presidency of Professor Howes. 



