Notes and Comments. 157 



Confessedly a mere compilation, it is well done and most 

 useful, for it includes a bibliography and a good index. The 

 various systems are clearly set out, and sufficient fossils are 

 enumerated to stamp their horizon, and the various writers 

 quoted are summarized in a business-like manner. It is a 

 pity that a few names like- Eridu, Ur and Elam were not 

 introduced into the map of the Euphrates-Tigris Delta, 

 as they would have greatly increased its value from the 

 archaeological side when comparing the two lines of coast 

 in the times of Sennacherib and Nearchus. 



SCIENCE IN 1853 AND I92I. 



At a recent meeting of the Hull Scientific and Field 

 Naturalists' Club, a lecture was given by Mr. T. Sheppard on 

 local science and the visit of the British Association next 

 year to Hull. The object of the address was to compare 

 the state of science in Hull and district in 1853 with that which 

 obtains to-day. In 1853 the British Association for the 

 Advancement of Science paid its one and only visit to Hull, 

 although during the same period every town and city of im- 

 portance in the United Kingdom has been favoured by visits 

 on two, three, or more occasions. As the Association only 

 visits places from which invitations have been received, the 

 reason of its apparent neglect of Hull is obvious, and now 

 that at last definite arrangements have been made for it to 

 visit Hull in 1922, an opportunity arises to review the state 

 of things to-day with what existed seventy years ago. 



THE REPORT. 



The report of the Hull 1853 meeting is an interesting 

 document, and consists of 350 pages. Among the papers 

 which were then read and discussed are several having an 

 important bearing upon the natural history, physical features, 

 and trade of the district ; practically every one of which is 

 written in ordinary English language, and can be understood 

 by anybody. In addition, the following papers were printed 

 in extenso : — ' The Physical Features of the Humber,' by 

 James Oldham (one of the most complete contributions to 

 this subject ever written) ; ' On the Rise, Progress, and 

 Present Position of Steam Navigation in Hull,' by the same 

 writer (which is interesting in comparison with the conditions 

 which exist to-day). Dr. Bell gave ' Observations on the 

 Character and Measurements of the Degradation of the 

 Holderness Coast.' These and numerous other similar 

 communications indicate the extremely popular and important 

 but, nevertheless, thoroughly scientific character of the 

 deliberations. 



A TOWER OF BABEL. 



In those days the meetings were held in the rooms of the 



1921 May 1 



