1906-1907.] Co-operation amongst Local Scientific Societies. 413 



of their members rather than from the quantity of printed 

 matter they issue. It seems a curiously democratic principle. 

 Of course, the ground idea is that the greater the number of 

 members a society has, the greater is its influence. These 

 remarks apply to the newly admitted class of associated 

 societies only, and not to the affiliated societies, to which this 

 Society belongs, and which were called Corresponding Societies 

 before the new standard of admission was adopted. 



Some years ago (Belfast, 1902) the chairman of one of 

 these conferences said that it was the only body which gives 

 a kind of corporate existence to local societies ; and he went 

 on to say that it gives standing to these societies as a 

 whole, bringing them into touch with one another. "When he 

 said that " it was the only hope that at present exists for 

 united action and systematic work," he went, I think, too far. 

 " The scientific societies scattered all over the country are like 

 iron filings sprinkled over a sheet of paper, — they need the 

 magnetic action of the British Association to transform the 

 confused particles into a field of symmetry and beauty." A 

 very pretty illustration, which assumes too much, — that the 

 local scientific societies are magnetisable particles. I have 

 represented occasionally other societies at these meetings of 

 delegates for more than twenty years, and the Corresponding 

 Societies have hitherto not received much encouragement or 

 inspiration. In the future we may expect more, if societies 

 like ourselves can be transformed into a political power. " If 

 we could," to make another quotation, " bind together all the 

 scientific societies of this kingdom, so that in matters of 

 national importance they would move as a united body, it 

 would be difficult to over-estimate the influence which could 

 be thus exerted, for it is certain that amongst the members of 

 these local societies are included many of the most intelligent 

 and influential men of their districts." It will be most inter- 

 esting to observe how the local scientific societies catch on to 

 the idea of advancing science by political influence. It never 

 occurred to any of us until now that the Edinburgh Field 

 Naturalists and similar societies could have by co-operation 

 political weight. 



A proposal was made to issue a Journal of Corresponding 

 Societies — notwithstanding the remarks already made to " a 



