264 BEPORT-1888. 



long felt the want of some central organisation sucli as that of the 

 present Committee. He also alluded to the necessity for a uniform 

 system of signs. 



Mr. William "White remarked upon the difficulty which private 

 individuals often experienced in approaching the proprietors of ancient 

 remains, and pointed out that individual efforts would be likely to be 

 more successful if members of local Societies could make overture* 

 backed up by the sanction of a British Association Committee such as. 

 the present one. 



Status of the Conference of Delegates. 



At the Manchester meeting of the Association an important resolu- 

 tion was framed at the instigation of Sir Douglas Galtou witli tlie object 

 of conferring additional powers upon the Conference. According to the 

 former rules the Delegates had uo power of submitting resolutions or 

 recommendations to the Committee of Recommendations, but the resolu- 

 tion referred to is calculated to give them the necessary power, and thus- 

 to put the Conference on the same footing as the Sectional Committees. 

 The resolution in question was passed last year, on the motion of the 

 Secretary of the Corresponding Societies Committee, by the Committees 

 of Sections B and C, and had been accepted in due form by the Com- 

 mittee of Recommendations and by the General Committee, so that it ia 

 now a rule of the Association. The resolution is as follows : — 



' That the Conference of Delegates of Corresponding Societies be 

 empowered to send recommendations to the Committee of Recommenda- 

 tions for their consideration, and for report to the General Committee.' 



Nomination of Delegates. — At the Conference of Delegates held last 

 year the Secretary of the Corresponding Societies C/ommittee stated that 

 some of the local Societies had nominated delegates to attend the 

 Manchester meeting without having previously submitted any claim for 

 admission as Corresponding Societies. This probably arose from a mis- 

 understanding of the rules, and the Corresponding Societies Committee 

 has to point out that such Delegates cannot be officially recognised by the 

 Association, as it is only those Societies which have been admitted as- 

 Corresponding Societies, and which are still on the list, that are thus- 

 entitled to be officially represented. According to the Bides no Society can- 

 he admitted loithout first sending in a formal application, accompanied by a 

 specimen of its publications ; this application iuould he considered by the- 

 Corresponding Societies Committee, and only in the event of the Society being 

 recommended for election by this Committee, and this recommendation being- 

 confirmed by the General Committee, ivould it be admitted to the privileges 

 of a Corresponding Society. 



The Corresponding Societies Committee recommends that all the 

 Societies on last year's list should be retained, and that the Belfast 

 Natural History and Philosophical Societj^ the Leeds Geological Asso- 

 ciation, and the Nottingham Naturalists' Society should be enrolled as. 

 Corresponding Societies. 



