CORRESPONDING SOCIETIES. 193 



no systematic way adopted either of collecting the photographs or of 

 recording them, so that geologists interested might really know what 

 had been taken. He thought that if some arrangement could be made, a 

 great deal of good might be done, not only for the benefit of geological 

 science, bat also for educational purposes. Regarding regulations, he was 

 not desirous of laying down any strict rules, but he thought that if the 

 scheme were to be carried out at all satisfactorily and at a minimum 

 expenditure, some few regulations would be necessary. 



Mr. Whitaker thought it a very fit subject for the Conference, and 

 trusted that Delegates would get their Societies to think it over. The 

 object was to interest all the Societies and to have an harmonious result. 



Some further discussion took place with reference to the requirements 

 of the pi-o posed Committee and the mode of procedure in the field, in the 

 course of which it was pointed out that the chief object was to secure 

 photographs of typical and especially of temforary sections. The details 

 of manipulation, the size of the photographs, method of mounting, regis- 

 tration of scale, &c., could only be settled when the Corresponding 

 Societies had taken action in the matter and the Committee had been 

 formally appointed. 



International Geological Congress. — Mr. Hopkinson called the attention 

 of the Delegates to this Congress, which met in London last year, and 

 pointed out the conditions under which Societies could get the volume 

 of Proceedings. He suggested that every Society which intended to 

 publish geological maps should ascertain the rules as to nomenclature 

 aad colouring adopted by the Congress, so that some degree of uniformity 

 might be arrived at. 



Section D. 



The Committee of this Section was represented by Professor Hill- 

 house. 



Life-histories of Native Plants. — Professor Meldola said that since 

 their last meeting at Manchester, Professor Bayley Balfour had received 

 several applications for further particulars with reference to the sugges- 

 tion which he communicated to the previous Conference. Professor Balfour 

 was unable to be present at Bath, but had forwarded the following : 



' Suggestions for those studying the Life-histories of British Flowering 

 Plants : — 



' 1. Seeds should be collected, and opportunity may be taken at the 

 time of collection to note how they are disseminated in nature— whether 

 the fruit opens or not, whether they have appendages for promoting 

 transport by animals or otherwise, whether they have colour or other 

 features of attraction, &c. 



' 2. The seeds being sown, their germination should be watched ; its 

 rapidity and manner noted. The variations and differences between 

 albuminous and exalbuminous seeds are worthy of special note. The 

 movements of the parts of the embryo in germination until it acquires 

 its fixed position are also deserving of study. Further, the form of the 

 parts of the embryo is various and instructive. 



' 3. The development of the seedling into the adult can be readily 

 watched in annuals and biennials and smaller perennials. The succession 

 of leaves after the cotyledons should be noted, and the forms which the 

 leaves assume and their positions and spread. The relative succession 

 of buds in or adjacent to the axils of the later leaves and of the cotvledons 



1889. • o 



