4 PRESIDENT S ADDRESS. 



prominent feature of the parent British Association. Although 

 the regulations governing such committees are detailed under 

 eight heads, it is disappointing to have to admit that no research 

 committee has ever been appointed. But provision is also made 

 for the award of grants to individuals, and at the Johannesburg 

 meeting -such grants in aid of research were made to: 



Professor Pearson, South African College, £25 in aid of 

 research on IVehvitschia mirabilis; 



J. Burtt-Davy, then botanist to the Transvaal (Government, 

 £50 to aid in the preparation of an annotated catalogue of the 

 flowering plants and ferns known to occur in the Transvaal ; 

 and 



R. T. A. Innes, of the Meteorological Observatory, £25 in 

 aid of the work of preparing tables of the barometric pressures 

 over South Africa and adjacent regions. 



Every credit must be given to the Association for its efforts 

 to assist the researches of its members in this way, and in con- 

 tinuation of this policy, in 1905, farther awards were made to: 



Dr. Roberts, of Lovedale, £100, to aid him in his work on 

 variable stars ; and 



Dr. Gilchrist, £100, with a promise of a further £50 during 

 1906, to aid in the investigation of the fresh-water fishes of 

 South Africa, including those of the Zambesi ; 

 and during 1906 the following further grants were made to: 



Professor J. C. Beattie, South African College, £100, to aid 

 him in his work on the magnetic survey of South Africa ; 



Professor Duerden, Rhodes' University College, £45, to aid 

 him in his investigation on tortoises ; and 



J. Stuart Thompson, to aid him in a research of South 

 African Alcyonaria. 



And then the shoe began to pinch. In the report of the 

 Council, in August, 1905, an appeal was made for the payment 

 of subscriptions on the ground that lack of funds i:)revented the 

 Council from " carrying out one of the main objects of the 

 Association, vis., the granting of money for original research 

 work. 



In the report for the year ending July, 1908, the failure 

 to acknowledge this appeal led the Council to deliver a few- 

 valedictory remarks on the subject of grants-in-aid of research. 



The Council regretted that, owing to the great falling off in 

 revenue, they were unable to authorise the completion of the 

 grant to Dr. Beattie, and he was thanked for liaving generously 

 waived his claim to the balance. 



Mr. Burtt-Davy was informed that they were unable to 

 accede to his request for a grant-in-aid of £100 for three years 

 to assist him in having the botanical specimens in the Kew 

 Herbarium worked up. 



Dr. Gilchrist was informed that, owing to financial reasons, 

 the Council regretted it was unable to fulfil its promise made to 

 him for a further grant, but thanked him for having generously 

 relinquished his claim on the funds of the Association. 



