338 THE CORRESPONDING SOCIETIES' 



societies. These should be admitted with slightly restricted 

 privileges under the title of '* associated societies," whilst the 

 publishing bodies, with full rights, would be called " affiliated 

 societies." 



Mr. Whitaker, the Chairman of the Corresponding Societies' 

 Committee, speaking in favour of a revision of the conditions of 

 union, expressed his opinion that the support of a well-organised 

 museum was probably a work of more importance than the 

 publication of transactions, and should accordingly be recog- 

 nised. The Rev. T. R. R. Stebbing held that publication was 

 not the most essential function of a local society ; if a paper w^ere 

 worth printing as an original communication, it ought to appear 

 in the journal of some central society, whereas if it were not 

 worth printing its publication was not a gain to science. The 

 Rev. G. B. Stallworthy suggested that an official inspector 

 appointed by the Association should periodically visit the various 

 societies in union, and report to head-quarters as to the character 

 of the work which they were carrying on. 



Considering the relation of the Essex Field Club to two 

 museums, it should be of interest to our members to notice a 

 paper read to the delegates by the Rev. W. Johnson, of York, 

 " On the utilization of local museums with special reference to 

 schools." The author held that local museums usually fail by 

 giving undue prominence to wuat is rare or special, whereas a 

 beginner wants to see the common natural objects, in order that 

 he may identify them in his field excursions. In order to attract 

 a young student it is necessary that a detailed description of a 

 given specimen, with drawings of its separate parts, should be 

 placed by side of the exhibit. With the view of inculcating a 

 taste for museums, Mr. Johnson strongly advocated the practice 

 of taking school children to Museums where the specimens were 

 not bewilderingly numerous and where each object was 

 intelligibly described. Demonstrations should be given either 

 by teachers or by curators — preferably the latter ; and warm 

 appreciation was expressed of the work of Mr. Crowther, the 

 Curator of the Leeds Museum. Mr. Johnson urged upon the 

 museum authorities the necessity of providing in connection 

 with the museum a room for such demonstrations, equipped 

 with lantern, screen, and all other necessary appliances. For 

 the labour involved in demonstration he considered that the 



