32 



In the discussion which ensued, the following are some of the points spoken of by the Delegates : 



(1) The possibility of establishing a journal which should give an epitome of the work 



done by all the Local Societies. 



(2) The lending by Local Societies of collections and specimens to schools. 



(3) The value of Local Societies entering on the Gin. Ordinance Maps, for parposes of 



reference, all archseological details in their neighbourhoods. 



(4) The amount of help that could be given by Local Societies in aiding nature teaching 



in schools. 



(5) Sir Norman Lockyer again brought forward his last year's suggestion as to the forma- 



tion of a Guild of Science, and said that the preliminaries were now settled. 



Then followed considerable discussion as to a better representation of the Local Sucieties afc 

 British Association Meetings and as to a proposed fuither amalgamation of their Societies, so that 

 their influence might become more powerful for good. At present it was felt that the thousands of 

 scientific workers scattered all over the country had not suflBcient organization to make their power felt. 



The Rev. W. Johnson, B.A., B.Sc, read a paper on the Utilization of Local Museums, with 

 special references to schools. 



At the second Conference, Principal Griffiths vacated the chair which was taken by Dr. Tempest 

 Anderson. Mr. J. Hopkinson, F.L.S., F.G.S., read a short paper advocating conformity in the 

 publications issued by the local societies, with certain bibliographical requirements. Among points 

 which he alluded to were : 



(1) Proper indexing, 



(2) Uniform size, either demy octavo or demy quarto. 



(3) Continuous paging for volumes of bound transactions. 



(4) Binding up of covers, if covers have list of contents on them. 



He gave many examples of the immense labour that had to be gone through by anyone working 

 up a subject in a reference library, when the seeker after information came across a bound volume of 

 Bome society's transactions in which there was no index to papers, no continuity of paging, no table of 

 contents, etc., etc. He handed round a leaflet showing how the Hertfordshire Society bad adopted 

 an excellent method of making, in addition to a full index, etc., the contents of each of their volumes 

 readily apprehended. 



After a discussion on this paper, during which many delegates bore witness to the truth of 

 Mr. Hopkinson's complaints, the Chairman called for any remarks that representatives of the various 

 sections of the British Association wished to make, anent special lines of work that local societies 

 could take up. 



For Section A, Dr. H. R. Mill spoke concerning the good work done by local societies in the matter 

 of rainfall returns, and stated that a set of questions was about to be sent round to the local societies. 



For Section C (Geology) it was announced that a new joint committee, with Section E 

 (Geography), had been appointed, with the object of recording and determining the exact significance 

 of local terms applied to topographical and geological objects. 



For Section D (Zoology) the following lines of work were suggested, each having a special 

 committee to receive results: 



(1) The fauna of cave- waters. 



(2) The study of the Zoological changes in some given plot of land for one year. 



(3) The micro-organisms of a given pond or ditch. 



(4) The lines of overland migration of birds. 



For Section K (Botany) it was suggested that local societies, who were favourably situated, 

 should report on the persistence of leaves in orchids and make a special study of seedling orchids. 



Sections B, F, G, H, I, and L had no special work to bring before the Conference. 



In summing up, as I believe that directing attention to one or two important points is more 

 useful than a general recapitulation of many matters — (1) I would urge on the Society that it can do 

 some very useful work for the new Joint Committee of Sections C and E, since in Kent there must be 

 a larce number of terms applied locally to top^ 'graphical and geological features where meanings 

 require determining and recording; (2) I would draw specia.1 attention to the lines of work suggested 

 by Section D (Zoology), inasmuch as they give the individual member an idea of how he can put in a 

 year of very useful work ; though possibly the study of the lines of overland migration of birds may 

 be rather a large matter, we have, in Kent, many cases where fauna might be studied ; anyone with 

 ordinary powers of observation can do some useful work on the study of the zoological changes in some 

 selected plot of land, anyone with a microscopic training can give a good account of himself in dealing 

 with the micro-organisms of his nearest ditch or pond, and, finally, Kent is an orchid county, so that 

 the material is at hand for the solution of the undecided problems that the order of plants presents. 



Finally, I beg to very heartily congratulate the Society on the valuable work done for the 

 Geological Photographic Committee by one of its members, Mr. C. Buckingham. In the Committee's 

 Report this year Mr. Buckingham's work on the Kentish Nailbourne, the Stour valley, and the classic 

 locality of Reculvers, was specially mentioned as of the greatest value; and I can only hope that Mr. 

 Buckingham's example will stimulate other members who are working at other subjects to en&ure that 

 their work shall be made the best use of by following out the lines laid down by the various British 

 Association r'otnmittees, and seeing that these Committees have the work sent to them for corre'ation 

 with other workers' results. 



I have the honour to remain. 

 Tour obedient servant, 



ARTHUR S. REID, M.A , F.G.S. 



