42 



Natural History Society, Royal Microscopical Society (6), Rochester Natural History Society (2), 

 Wellin^on College Science Society. Marlborough College Natural History Society. 



The following Societies with whom we are affiliated and to whom we pay an annual subscription 

 have sent publications :— S.E. Union of Scientific Societies (" S.E. Naturalist "), Quekett Microscopical 

 Club, Eay Society, Royal Photographic Society (monthly journal). 



The serials purchased have been ;— (1) Annals and Magazine of Natural History ; (2) Journal of 

 Botany ; (3) Knowledge ; (4) Geological Magazine ; (5) Zoologist ; (6) Science Gossip ; (7) Junior 

 Photographer. 



" Knowledge " was formerly presented by our late President. 



The Committee have decided to discontinue (1) " Annals and Magazine of Natural History " and 

 (2) ** Journal of Botany." 



The thanks of the Society are due to Miss Holmes and Miss Phillpotts for subscribing to the 

 Qu'tkett Microscopical Club, to Mr. S. W. Harvey for contributing a number of lantern slides, etc., and 

 to Rev. W. M. Rodwell for presenting over 100 microscopic slides. 



W. H. FIDDIAN, 



Hon. Librarian. 



REPORT OF OUR DELEGATE TO THE BRITISH 

 ASSOCIATION CONGRESS. 



To the President and CommiUee of the East Kent Natural History Society. 



Gentlemen, — 



I attended the two Meetings of the Conference of Delegates of Corresponding Societies of the 

 British Association for the Advancement of Science, during the Annual Meeting of that Association at 

 Glasgow this year, as Delegate for your Society, and I beg herewith to append a short report of the 

 Conferi-nce of Delegates, in so far as the proceedings seemed to me to be of interest to your Society. 



Our first meeting commenced at 3 p.m. on the afternoon of Thursday, September 12th, and the 

 chair was taken by Dr. Rudler, who, in the course of his opening remarks, laid special stress on the 

 following points : — 



(1.) The importance of each Society sending to the Conference the same delegate year by year, 



rather than sending a new representative each year. 

 (2.) The valua of delegates from Societies all over the Kingdom being able to exchange views 



once a year, and talk together over the work done by their Societies. 

 (3.) The proper relations of Local Societies towards Local Museums. 



(4.) The important work that Local Societies might do by undertaking the registration of type 



specimens. These specimens are scattered throughout the land in museums and piivate 



collections, and their whereabouts is unknown to the scientific world at large, unless 



they are registered in some accessible publication. The same remark applies to various 



antiquities and monuments which a'-e known to local men, but. as they are not registered 



in any way, are lost to the general scientific world. 



(.5) The greiter importinee of sysleimtizing the work now being done than of entering upon 



new fields of enquiry. There is an immense quantity of valuable woik done by Local 



Societies which is almost useless by reason of its not being carried out on the systematic 



lines laid down by the various Committees of the British Association, appointed for the 



purpose of collecting and summarising these observations. 



(6.) Among vario^us matters which Local Societies could make systematic observations on, and 



prepare permanent records of, the Chairman mentioned " the history of the rii'cr.sottbe 



district "—course ot flow, changes of flow in past, likely changes in future, and in 



likening some of our Societies to a river, lie pointed out how they began life with plenty 



of energy and rush, but, as time went on, gradually worked down to a bnse level, where 



they remain until some upheaval takes place in their arei. The remainder of the first 



Meeting of the Conference was taken up with the discussion ot a paper read by 



Mr. J. 0. Bevan, advising that all Corresp .nding Societies should be requested to 



undertake a systematic Survey of the Archa'ology, Antiquities, Ancient Monuments, eic, 



of their districts, preparing maps of the same on the lines already laid down by the 



Committee engaged in this work. 



During a very lengthy discussion, the details of which will be put before you in the Annual 



Report of the Conference of Delegates, the following points were touched upon, among many others, 



which I select as of advantage for your consideration ; — 



(1.) Societies should, as far as possible, secure continuity of representation at the Conference by 

 appointing the same Delegate year by year. 



