88 PROCE'EDTNGS OF TTTE 



than a national misfortune." How long this state of things 

 will be tolerated it is difficult to say, but it is easy to foresee that 

 we shall pay dearly for our short-sightedness in the long run. I 

 believe I express tlio general feeling, almost the unanimous 

 feeling, of scientific men, when I say that, while we do not under- 

 value or wish to exclude literature — to do so indeed would also 

 be a fatal error — we cannot rest satisfied until Science receives its 

 fair share of time in the educational system of the country. 



It is a matter of congratulation that the House of Commons, 

 with the cordial concurrence of the Government, has appointed 

 a Committee to inquire into the slate of Forestry in this 

 country, and consider whether the establishment of a School 

 of Forestry would not be advisable. I had previously visited the 

 Forest School at Nancy, and at Whitsuntide I paid a visit to 

 the Central Swiss School at Zurich. Prof. Schroter, who received 

 me most kindly, was astonished to hear that we had no forest 

 school whatever. He would hardly believe it. He asked where, 

 then, did those who managed our woodlands receive their 

 education ? when and by whom were they examined ? and 

 whether under such circumstances our woodlands were not 

 terribly mismanaged, which I was not in a position to deny. 

 I trust that the result of our Committee may not only be to 

 improve our National Forests, but also to render those in private 

 lands more remunerative to their owners. 



We all heard with great regret of the illness of our zoologieal 

 secretary Mr. Romanes, and we were very pleased to see him 

 again amongst us at the last meeting. His physicians, however, 

 have ordered him abroad, and under the circumstances he has 

 felt it necessary to resign his office. We shall all trust that his 

 absence may be only temporary, and that we may often have the 

 pleasure of seeing him at our evening meetings. We have been 

 fortunate in inducing Mr. Percy Sladeu, who lias proved himself 

 a very efficient councillor, to give us his services as Zoological 

 Secretary. 



Mr. Jackson also tendered his resignation ; the loss to the 

 Society would have been greatly aggravated if both its Secre- 

 taries had resigned at the same time; and he has very kindly 

 consented to act for another year. 



I have on previous occasions mentioned the progress made in 

 the rearrangement of the Natural History Collections at the 

 British Museum, which may now be said to be almost completed, 

 and the rapidly increasing number of visitors shows how greatly 

 they are appreciated, 'ilie arrangement of the collections in 

 the Natural History JMuseum has steadily progressed. The 

 Gallery devoted to the exhibition of the Cetaceans was opened to 

 the public now several months ago. l''ive huge skeletons repre- 

 sent the largest species occurring in the British seas, whilst the 

 instructiveuess ol the series is enhanced by the additiou of figures 

 or stufied specimens showing the external appearance of the 



