32 Presidential Address. 



a taste for such studies where it is yet unfomied, and to afford 

 means and opportunities for promoting it ; the resources of Dum- 

 friesshire and Galloway for such objects being particularly kept 

 in view." How well our members have obeyed this rule in the 

 past may be judged from our published "Transactions." It 

 would be invidious to enumerate any particular papers, but I 

 venture to say that these " Transactions ' ' do much credit to our 

 Society, and I sincerely trust that this high standard of excellence 

 may be maintained in the papers to be read to us during the 

 coming session. I need hardly point out to you that the success 

 of our Society depends on each of us individually, and as a 

 negative example of this I would instance the Dumfries and Max- 

 wellto\vn Photographic Association, which may truly be said to 

 have died from lack of energy, but which, I hope, may some day, 

 Phoenix-like, arise. As the president of our late local Photographic 

 Association, I should like to say how much I regret its failure, 

 but I see no reason why it should not flourish again as a branch of 

 this Society. Photography plays such an important part in con- 

 nection with those studies in which our Society is engaged that it 

 seems to me that there can be no serious objection to our moving 

 in this matter. A collection of photographs, or photographic 

 slides, of the various antiquities scattered throughout Dumfries- 

 shire and Galloway is surely a want which such a branch <?f our 

 Society might in time fill. It is gratifying to know of the recent 

 success of the " Solway Ramblers ;" such excursions, similar to our 

 own in the summer, do much to stimulate our knowledge of the 

 sciences, and moreover provide material for lectures and discus- 

 sions in the winter months. An innovation started by one of our 

 local papers may perhaps be here mentioned. I refer to the 

 Notes and Queries Column in the " Dumfries and Galloway 

 Courier and Herald." This should provide a medium for 

 enquiries and information, which must surely prove very useful to 

 many of our members. I would take this opportunity of remind- 

 ing my fellow-members that there is still much to be discovered 

 in problems which may seem at first sight to have been solved. 

 I often think that the old adage, " There is nothing new under the 

 sun," has been a deterrent to many a budding scientist. But first- 

 hand notes are always valuable, if only because they confirm 

 previous observations. Whatever may be the particular branch of 

 natural history or antiquarian research that any one of us may 



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