CORRESPONDING SOCIETIES. 35 
notice and will suggest fresh inquiries. It is obvious that for the study 
of the causes of local distribution we must often go to historical records, 
whether embodied in documents, in place-names, or in archeological 
relics. My suggestion is that the distribution of all these things should 
be systematically studied upon the map. It is true, no doubt, that maps 
are attached to many special studies, botanical, geological, or archzological ; 
but the research which I am suggesting treats the comparison of a large 
number of such maps as its main material, and is not satisfied with having 
them as incidental illustrations in books of non-geographical aim, and 
with having them prepared according to different methods, and therefore 
without facilities for comparison. In other words, the object is to have 
a complete analysis of each district from a geographical standpoint. 
We already have examples of the kind of work which I am indicating, 
although, as being the product in each case of one man’s research only, 
they have not and cannot have the thoroughness and richness which 
would ensue from the combined and prolonged endeavour of one of your 
societies. Dr. H. R. Mill has described a small part of Sussex in his ‘ Frag- 
ment of the Geography of England’ which you will find in the fifteenth 
~ volume of the ‘Geographical Journal. Dr. Herbertson, again, has a 
description of the Oxford Sheet of the One-inch Ordnance Survey Map 
in the first volume of the ‘ Geographical Teacher,’ and Professor Geddes 
has given us descriptions of the neighbourhood of Edinburgh in connection 
with his Outlook Tower. But these essays, though excellent so far as 
they go, are hardly comparable with the elaborate Continental descriptions 
to which | have referred. No really adequate geographical account of the 
British Isles will be possible until we have a much richer local literature 
from whichan author may mine. Yet suchan account is essential to any 
scientific basis for British national history. 
What is wanted is that in connection with each Society it should be 
the duty of some member to correlate the results obtained by the different 
specialist sections. This member would extract from the work of the bota- 
nists, the archeologists, the geologists, and others the data for the con- 
struction of his scheme of maps, and it would fall naturally to him to 
suggest the formation of new sections, and to enlist the enthusiasm of 
fresh students for the purpose of filling lacunz in the local researches. 
In other words, it would be his special function to correlate from a geo- 
graphical point of view the work of the various specialists, and to draw 
deductions from his correlations for the guidance of the specialists in their 
further work. Local investigation, instead of being haphazard and iso- 
lated, would thus become co-operative, and the results would be synthetic. 
Side-lights would be thrown on all manner of special studies, and the 
students of other sciences would thus get back with interest the contri- 
_ butions which they made to geography. 
All this is easily said, but our experience shows that only a geographer 
of adequate training and insight could perform the function which we 
here demand. Such persons are no doubt increasing in number. The 
University Schools of Geography at Oxford and elsewhere are gradualiy 
supplying them, and before long it should be possible for each of your 
societies to find someone, say a master in some neighbouring public 
school, who is capable for the purpose. In some cases you may even have 
a member who would be willing to undergo the necessary training 
specially for your service. 
I am aware, of course, that your Societies are perhaps more often than 
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