28 
BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT 
OF SCIENCE. 
CONFERENCE OF DELEGATES OF CORRESPONDING SOCIETIES 
AT DUBLIN. 
Report to the Hampstead Scientific Society of its Delegate. 
Meetings of the Conference were held on September 3rd and 
8th, at which your Delegate was present. The Hampstead Scien- 
tific Society is one of thirty-nine ‘‘ Associated ’”’ Societies, such as 
do not publish results of original research. It is to be hoped that 
the time will come when, by original work being undertaken, the 
status of the Society will be raised. 
At the first meeting Professor H. A. Miers, F.R.S., Chairman 
‘of the Conference, presided. His address dealt with the history and 
functions of Local Societies. He pointed out the great importance 
of the work done by them in the early years of the nineteenth 
century in popularising and promoting scientific ideas at a time 
when scientific publications were rare. To-day the great Scientific 
Societies are too highly specialised to appeal to the intelligent 
amateur. The valuable function of the Local Society is to break 
down the barrier between the professional and amateur ; to give 
the specialist an opportunity of describing his work in simple 
language to a mixed audience; to develop by co-operation 
between professional and amateur, the educational opportunities 
that arise ; and to encourage and direct original research. It is 
possible for the Local Societies to initiate a new Science Extension 
movement. 
Mrs. Mary Hobson read a paper in which she drew attention 
to the necessity of forming reserves as sanctuaries for the preserva- 
tion of our native Flora and Fauna. She deprecated the killing 
of animals and the gathering of plants and specimens for the mere © 
stocking of private collections. 
Professor Grenville A. J. Cole, Vice-Chairman, presided at the . 
second meeting. 
Professor G. H. Carpenter spoke on the advantages to be — 
derived from detailed Natural History Surveys of restricted areas — 
and the suitability of such work for Local Societies. He instanced — 
the researches carried out in Lambay Island and on the North — 
Bull in Dublin Bay. 
Mr. Henry Davey introduced the subject of the advisability ’ 
of the reintroduction and distribution of species that have become ~ 
extinct or rare. 
Se ee 
pit tee ey se 
¥ 
