6'2 



But even this does not exhaust all the benefits of the Trans- 

 actions ; but as they are more in matters of detail, there will be no 

 need to refer to them here. As it is, four societies give them free 

 — of which our society is one. If every society could see its way 

 to do the same, the Council would be free to extend the sphere of 

 the usefulness of this publication, and thus render it more generally 

 acceptable. Many ways might be suggested to meet this end ; but 

 if Rule 8 were to be amended so as to include Abstracts of Papers 

 other than those provided for by the Rule, this would doubtless be 

 to the material advantage of the publication. It is quite clear that 

 although a large society might publish a record of its own trans- 

 actions, the smaller societies would be quite unable to do this, and 

 thus, for want of co-operation, much useful matter would be lost. 



It may be worth remark that this publication is exchanged for 

 those of several other societies, including the British Association, 

 London Geological Society, U.S. Geological Survey, Berwickshire 

 Naturalists' Club, Yorkshire Naturalists' Union, Essex Field Club, 

 Midland Union of Natural History Societies, &c. In this way 

 the nucleus of a circulating library might be established, which, if 

 not proving a universal benefit, would at any rate benefit many. 



It may now be asked, of what use it is that our Union should be 

 affiliated with the British Association. To be connected with so 

 august a body may be an honour, or it may be the contrary ; it 

 seems most probable, however, that the balance is greatly in favour 

 of its being an honour. It at once raises the status of our Union, 

 and through it that of the various local associations, besides which 

 it greatly increases their usefulness. It may be that we cannot 

 either individually, or as an association, render much aid towards 

 the elucidation of many of the questions suggested for solution by 

 the British Association ; still, the field of labourers is greatly 

 extended, and the more widely such associations are scattered, the 

 more likely is it that success will attend the efforts of those who 

 seek to advance Science. Many of the observations rendered 

 necessary are only to be relied on when they are very general in 

 their distribution. Of course, we may be able to accomplish but 

 little, still we ought to remember that even this is of great value as 



