456 



NATURE 



[September 4, 1890 



the simpler methods of qualitative analysis, and may then go on 

 to work at the commoner kinds of rocks and the elements of 

 microscopic petrography. During the summer months I would 

 take him into the field, but not do more than impress upon him 

 some of the broader aspects of outdoor work, such as the con- 

 nection between physical feature and geological structure. 



During a second year stratigraphical geology should be 

 lectured upon and studied from books, and so much of animal 

 morphology as may be necessary for palaeontological purposes 

 should be mastered. The practical work would lie mainly 

 among fossils, with a turn every now and again at mineralogy 

 and petrology to keep these subjects going. Out of doors I 

 would not yet let the student attempt geological mapping, but 

 would put into his hands a geological map and descriptions of 

 the geology of his neighbourhood, and he would be called upon 

 to examine in minute detail all accessible sections, collect and 

 determine fossils, and generally see how far he can verify by 

 his own work the observations of those who have gone before 

 him. 



Indoor work during the third year would be devoted to 

 strengthening and widening the knowledge already gained. Out 

 of doors the student should attempt the mapping of a district 

 by himself. It will be well, if there is any choice in the matter, 

 to select one in which the physical features are strongly 

 marked. 



This sketchy outline must serve to indicate the notions that 

 have grown up in my mind on the subject now before us, and 

 the methods I have been led to adopt in the teaching of geology. 

 I trust that they may be suggestive, and may call forth that 

 kindly and genial criticism with which the brotherhood of the 

 hammer are wont to welcome attempts, however feeble, to 

 strengthen the corner-stones and widen the domain of the 

 science we love so well, and to enlarge the number of its 

 votaries. 



LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 



[ The Editor does not hold himself responsible for opinions ex- 

 pressed by his correspondents. Neither can he undertake 

 to return, or to correspond with the writers of, rejectea 

 manuscripts intended for this or any other part of Nature. 

 No notice is taken of anonymous communications. ] 



British Association Procedure. 



I AM glad to see a letter from my colleague, Prof. Armstrong, 

 on the subject of the procedure of the British Association. I 

 am not disposed to take an exaggerated view of the harm that 

 may arise from the mild excitement and dissipation which seem 

 to be inseparable from gatherings of this kind ; but I do not 

 regard with satisfaction the prospect of annulling half the good 

 effect of my much-needed rest and annual dose of fresh air, by 

 spending a week in crowded rooms in the middle of a great 

 town. The disinclination to run this risk increases, and the 

 risk itself seems to increase, when the date fixed for the meeting 

 is selected in such an unfortunate way as to cut in two the 

 summer holiday of many members, and especially of those who 

 are teachers, whether in school, college, or university. 



Having been on two separate occasions concerned in making 

 preparations for the reception of the Association, I know some- 

 thing of the circumstances which have to be considered. One 

 of the most important points is the provision of suitable rooms 

 for reception and Sectional business. These are very commonly 

 obtained in colleges or schools, and cannot be placed at the 

 disposal of the Association till the holidays begin. But all 

 schools or colleges break up before the end of July, and the 

 last days of July or the first days of August would be the most 

 convenient time to the great majority of those who form the most 

 numerous and active attendants at the meetings. The weather 

 at that time is also more likely to be favourable to garden 

 parties and excursions than at any time late in August or in 

 September. That, at least, is my own opinion as to the time 

 of meeting. 



Then as to the work of the Sections. As a Sectional Secre- 

 tary I have read papers (other people's) at 3 o'clock in the 

 afternoon to an audience consisting of a Vice-President impa- 

 tient to follow the President to lunch, two reporters who were 

 not listening, and my wife making signals of distress from a 

 back bench. As a Sectional President I have sat at the same 

 iour, luncheonless and weary, while a paper which seemed as 



long and as discursive as the story of the Ancient Mariner, 

 was droned forth by the author to an audience of about three 

 persons fidgeting like the belated wedding guest. I wonder 

 whether this sort of thing is supposed to be of any use to anybody. 



The change which I proposed, and which was in part embodied 

 in a recommendation from Section B to the Council, consisted 

 in altering the hour for Committees from 10 to 9.30, and begin- 

 ning general business at 10 instead of 1 1 ; the Section to close 

 at 2. 



The only objection I heard to 9. 30 was that some members 

 might be lodged at a distance, and find it difficult to attend so 

 early. I never could see much except laziness at the bottom 

 of this objection. The only other that occurred to me was that 

 possibly sometimes the Committee business would occupy more 

 than half an hour. But this difficulty, even if real, chiefly arises 

 from the practice to which Prof. Armstrong has referred, of 

 making the Committees so large. 



This practice serves no obvious purpose except that of adver- 

 tising a certain number of people who like to see their names in 

 print. I believe the demand for election upon Sectional Com- 

 mittees would be considerably reduced if the names of the Sec- 

 tional Committees icere no longer printed. It would be quite 

 sufficient for the purposes of business to give in the Journal only 

 the names of the officers. 



I think, further, that something should be done to reduce the 

 cost of a meeting to the town visited by the Association. The 

 gorgeousness of the entertainments given, and the demands made 

 upon provincial pockets, have become so extravagant that none 

 but wealthy or ambitious towns can face the luxury of a visit of 

 the British Association. William A. Tilden. 



Birmingham, September i. 



Whilst I entirely agree with Prof. Armstrong as to the 

 desirability of reform in regard to most of the matters to which 

 he has called attention, I would like to point out that in one 

 respect the large Sectional Committees have perhaps served a 

 useful purpose. Nowhere are the older and younger men of 

 science brought so extensively into direct contact with each other 

 as at the meetings of these Committees, and hence they have 

 served perhaps more than anything else to introduce the younger 

 provincial men to their older and younger brethren of the 

 metropolis and to each other. 



If it be admitted therefore that a chief object of the Association 

 is that its members shall meet, I think, speaking as a provincial, 

 that there is much to be said in favour of the retention of 

 moderately large Sectional Committees ; though no doubt the 

 introduction of such reforms as would tend to discourage the 

 presence on them of those who are out of place would add to 

 their usefulness in every way. W. A. Shenstone. 



Clifton, September 2. 



Fine Group of Sun-spots. 



This morning I saw a very large cluster of spots in the sun's 

 northern hemisphere, and nearly at mid-transit across the disc. 

 The group is elongated east and west, and there is a fine spot at 

 each of the extremities. The length of the group is about 

 { 113,000 miles; it exhibits a very complicated structure, and I 

 have made a drawing of it with some difficulty, owing to the 

 rapid changes it is undergoing in detail. A 3-inch refractor, 

 power 90, defines the object well, and reveals many peculiarities 

 in its form. Though I have termed it a group of spots, it might 

 with propriety be called a single spot, for it is connected with 

 wisps of penumbra, and chains of small spots, which altogether 

 represent an extensive area of disturbance. 



On looking at the sun with the eye simply protected with 

 tinted glass, I see the group of spots distinctly, and it would 

 form quite a conspicuous appearance to the naked eye should the 

 sun rise or set in a fog during the next day or two. 



I ascertained by frequent scrutiny during the first half of the 

 present year that the sun's spots were usually very small and 

 fugitive, and the present fine display of maculce is therefore all 

 the more worthy of observation and record, 



Bristol, August 31. W. F. Denning. 



Organic Colour. 



In considering the causes of bright colouring in animals and 

 plants, I think the physical meaning of colour has not been 

 sufficiently regarded. 



NO 1 



VOL. 4 



