The Scottish Naturalist. 133 



ported assertions — untenable theories— the appearance of which at such a time 

 and place can only be explained on the supposition that nothing better is to 

 be had ! 



(12) Others of the papers submitted are second-hand. They have already — 

 perhaps repeatedly — been presented to the public in some other form, or guise. 

 The announcement for the first time of any really new and important discovery 

 or fact must be so rare— if it has ever occurred at all — as to be practically un- 

 known. 



(13) Not a few of the papers -excellent though were their subjects, and the 

 treatment thereof — were adapted rather for the Social Science Congress at its 

 Leeds meeting. They were, however- and improperly, as I think — admitted into 

 Section F. [Economic Science and Statistics] : a section which ought to be 

 handed over bodily to the sister "National Association for the promotion of 

 Social Science." 



(14) The same author frequently reads several papers. We have known as 

 many as eight papers submitted by one author at a single meeting {e.g., that 

 of Dundee, in 1867,) to different sections ; of which papers, abstracts were pub- 

 lished in the Association's Transactions for that year. At the Edinburgh meet- 

 ing there were five authors each of whom read four papers : four who read three : 

 and twenty-two who read two each. 



(15) There appears, to be too great laxity on the part of the sectional 

 councils in the admission of papers : as well as an unfortunate selection, fre- 

 quently, both of the papers and their readers— having regard on the one hand to 

 the nature of the audiences, and on the other to the length of time at disposal. 



(16) Insufficient, inconvenient, or unsuitable accommodation for hearing the 

 lectures and papers frequently renders pleasant or profitable listening impossible. 

 Not only so, but any persevering attempt thereat speedily becomes physically 

 exhausting, and finally intolerable. 



(17) There is an excess of conviviality and gaiety. Three public evening Lec- 

 tures in the Music Hall — the audience being all in full dress : two evening Con- 

 versazioni—also in full dress : two days of Excursions : a Private Ball : the 

 Theatres every night : two Organ Recitals by day : the Scott Centenary Ban- 

 quet and Exhibition— furnished too much excitement to be crowded beneficially 

 into the short space of a week or ten days. But, besides these public recreations, 

 there were endless private Hospitalities— whatever the "Times " may have said 

 to the contrary— several of the University Professors and other private citizens 

 keeping open house throughout the meeting : so that the country Naturalist 

 had to encounter daily invitations to Breakfast and Dinner. 



(iS) The arrangements for social enjoyment were not, at Edinburgh, uniformly 

 successful, by reason chiefly of the want of proportion between the number of 

 ticket-holders and the provision made for them. Thus at the University Con- 

 versazione, three thousand persons were packed in a Library Hall capable of 

 comfortably accommodating only three hundred : the result whereof was a cram 

 and stew — a struggle, of the most undignified kind, for hats, cloaks, and refresh- 

 ments ; while the music was so placed that it could only be heard by those who 

 ventured forth bareheaded from the conversazione hall to the open quadrangle of 

 the College ! Again, at the Melrose excursion, where there were 300 ticket-holders, 

 the accomodation provided was barely fitted for fifty persons, and the result was 



