A SCHEME FOR SCIENTIFIC EXCURSIONS 317 



other plan of procedure till the whole is thoroughly worked out, 

 even to the supplying of substitutes in case of the failure of 

 attendance of any of the leaders. 



You may or may not have time before the 25th to organise 

 such a plan of proceedings for that day — if you can so much 

 the better, and a circular would announce it to all the mem- 

 bers. But, whatever you do, have no half measures, let it 

 be clearly known that the rule of sticking to one leader for 

 the appointed time will be rigidly enforced. Members might 

 be asked (not forced) to say beforehand which leader they 

 will follow. It will be the leader's duty so to conduct his 

 party that all temptation to stray into another party is 

 avoided. If the ramble is to — say the top of a hill, they 

 should arrange that no two parties meet there, for the 

 moment you allow of ' promiscuous intercourse ' it is all up 

 and the thing degenerates into an agapemone. * Them's 

 my notions,' if you think they are available, and see your 

 way to the leaders, pray come here for a night and we will 

 talk over rules. 



P.S. Arrangements for a rainy day are most desirable, and 

 the best thing I can think of is, that the leaders (or others) 

 should give talks or lecturets to the members. It would 

 depend on the remuneration whether these should be delivered 

 to the whole Club at a time, in which case the lectures would 

 follow one another ; or if several apartments were available, 

 lectures on different subjects might go on at the same time — 

 but here again no wandering from the lecture once commenced 

 should be permitted. 



It will be the same with the lecturets as with the rambles 

 — a thoroughly matured plan is necessary and at least six 

 resolute members to carry it out. Each Lecturer or leader 

 should have his second in command. 



Upshot — if very much work is to be done, either in the 

 way of making the rambles instructive, or the labors of 

 members more systematic, much personal supervision, fore- 

 thought and time is necessary. The reason why the Clubs 

 have done so little is, the want of organisation and super- 

 vision to the end of making them instructive. 



I do believe that if such a plan of the rambles as I suggest 

 were once established, you would get a far better class of 

 attendants. People would know that definite information 



