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section by Sir Walter Elliot. Its author mentioned that he had 

 ascertained the existence of no less than 115 provincial natural 

 history societies in Great Britain and Ireland, and that the way in 

 ■which these societies were isolated from each other, without 

 " systematic co-operation" among themselves, few knowing anything 

 of the work done by others, was detrimental to each of them. 

 " Two modes of remedying the evil suggested themselves to his 

 mind. One was to have a central committee or single editor to 

 collect and condense the most useful materials in all the local 

 Transactions, and the other to form groups of societies, and publish 

 the more original and valuable papers in each group under a joint 

 editorship." 



As I was not present at the meeting I know but little of the 

 discussion which took place after the reading of Sir Walter Elliot's 

 paper. But I think the suggestions he threw out may be pro- 

 ductive of good, and I fully look for some well-considered scheme 

 being brought forward before long for the better organization of 

 these local societies, which, while they continue to be mere 

 independent units, may prove a check to any healthy growth of tlie 

 sciences to which they attach themselves. The present time will 

 not serve for deliberation on this matter. I am quite aware also 

 that there are two sides to this question as there are to so many other 

 questions. It may be said that, in surrendering that exclusive 

 control we now have over our own affairs, we relinquish to a 

 certain extent our present standing, and fall back into a lower 

 position shared by others associated with us. In other words we 

 let go somewhat of our self-importance. But if it be for the 

 interests of science that we merge our individuality in the general 

 community of scientific bodies similar to our own, such considera- 

 tions should not weigh with us for a moment. 



But whatever course we determine on when this question comes 

 properly before us, we must see that we do not lose ground with 

 the public. We must not only keep our Club together, but get 

 more men into it who wiU really do work in the field or in the 

 closet. Perhaps our Club labours under some disadvantage in this 

 respect from the circumstances which led to its formation. We 

 •were in the first instance, as is probably known to all, not so much 



