154 The Scottish Naturalist. 



in the advancement of scientific pursuits among us ; but this belief 

 cannot be entertained seriously by any one who has realised how 

 far the efforts of the most successful have been from the attain- 

 ment of an ideal of even a moderate kind. Very few societies set 

 steadily before them a definite aim ; and in almost all published 

 " Transactions/' the titles show that the range of subjects discussed 

 is so wide as to be very unlikely to leave permanent results of 

 value towards fulfilling the objects that should be aimed at by 

 provincial societies. It is true that in large societies, such as the 

 Royal Societies of London and other metropolitan cities, the range 

 of topics must be wide, because in them all departments of science 

 are represented, without reference to the special places of meeting ; 

 and it may be urged that provincial societies represent similar 

 needs, and should consider similar subjects, only restricted, to 

 some extent, by circumstances. In support of this position, a 

 good deal might be said ; but it must be evident to all that con- 

 sider the matter fairly that in fact the circumstances are very dif- 

 ferent for metropolitan and for provincial societies. Discoveries 

 and theories of a comprehensive and far-reaching kind, and that 

 are independent of locality, naturally are presented to the large 

 metropolitan audiences, and are published in " Transactions," in 

 which they can receive adequate illustration and treatment. On 

 the other hand, these large societies are not suited for the con- 

 sideration of topics such as naturally should occupy much of the 

 attention and labour of provincial meetings. The former cannot 

 with advantage study the fauna, flora, geology, or antiquities of 

 any limited area of country ; while it is by means of such labours 

 in the district of which their places of meeting are the centres, 

 and by publishing the results of such work, that provincial 

 societies can best assist in the progress of scientific research, and 

 can establish their rightful and honourable place in the scientific 

 army of our land. 



We fear that it will be long ere this truth is fully recognised, 

 often though it has been proclaimed ; and so strongly do we feel 

 the waste of much power that might be most usefully employed, 

 that we venture to reiterate them, and to press them even, at the 

 risk of saying what may, to some, seem but useless iteration. 

 There is little risk of its ever being carried to excess in our pro- 

 vincial societies. 



Assuming, then, that the above aims ought to be of paramount 



