54-6 hKtORTS ox THE STATE OF SClfiKCfi. 



wanted encouragement and guidance, I feel sure tbat tbey are to be numbered tv 

 thousands. It is not enough to tell such people what they have to learn and bid 

 them go away and learn it, or when they ask for work to give them words. 



Have we not in the Local Societies the agency which can get at these people 

 and organise them as workers ? If not, where is such an agency to be found ? 



I think it a duty incumbent upon those of us who have had the opportunities, 

 and have tasted the rare delight of scientific research, to lend a helping hand to 

 those who desire to share both its toil and its treasure, but have not been able to 

 reach these by the well-recognised path that we have ourselves pursued. 



Mr. "William Gray (Belfast), in proposing that the thanks of the Delegates 

 be given to the Chairman for his very excellent address, said that he bad bad 

 the advantage of hearing many important addresses to the Conference, but he 

 had never heard one more appropriate and practical, appropriate because it so 

 clearly defined the proper relation between the work of the Local Societies 

 and the British Association. He said that he could not refer in detail to its 

 practical side, but hoped that he might be permitted to draw attention to one of 

 its suggestions to those wlio address their fellows — viz.. to avoid the display of 

 technical text-book terms and try to convey the results of one's investiga- 

 tions in sucli language as would be understood by one's fellow-members and 

 friends. 



The Rev. R. Ashington BuUen (S.E. Union), in seconding the vote of thanks, 

 said that he trusted that the wise and weighty words of the Chairman would be 

 read and acted upon by the Local Societies. He thought that the Chairman's 

 valuable paper should be read in conjunction with the admirable address of Dr. A. 

 !:^mith "Woodward to the Delegates in 1905. 



Professor Miers asked tlic meeting to pass a hearty vote of thanks to 

 3Ir. Rudler for his work as Secretary of tlie Conference since 1902, and also to 

 Dr. Delany for permitting the meetings of the Conference to be held at University 

 College. These were passed with acclamation. 



Mr. "William Dale (Hants Field Club and Archji^ological Society), in speaking 

 of Professor Miers' address, said he thouglit it pointed to the necessity of Local 

 Societies meeting in the winter as well as the summer. The one with which 

 lie was connected met only in the summer, and this was probably the case 

 with many others represented at this meeting. It was only at a winter meeting 

 that a professional scientist could impart information in the way suggested by 

 the Chairman. 



The Very ReA% Dr. Delany (University College, Dublin), having thanked the 

 meeting for the vote which they had just passed, said that with the spread of 

 education he thought those societies were most useful which took up subjects 

 relating to man. In instancing the danger of using technical scientific terms, 

 of which so many did not understand tbe use, he suggested that they should 

 not be used at ail. In speaking about the address from the educational point 

 of view, he mentioned, as an instance of what could be done with small means, 

 the work done by the Professor of Botany at the College in laying out and 

 planting a small area at the back of their buildings with hundreds of plants, 

 and so forming an invaluable series for investigation by the students. 



Mr. .1. Hopkinson (Hertfordshire Natural History Society and Field Club) 

 said that he thought the Hants Field Club was almost if not quite alone in not 

 holding winter meetings. It would be very advantageous to the members of 

 Local Societies if they could get original workers on various subjects to bring 

 their investigations before such evening meetings, disclosing their methods and 

 stating the results at which they aimed. 



Sir Edward Brabrook (Balham and District Antiquarian and Natural History 

 Society), who rose to speak on a matter concerning the harmonious working of 

 the British Association and Local Societies, proposed the following motion : 

 ' That the Conference desires to represent to the Committee of Recommendationfl 

 that whenever a Committee of the British Association enters upon a local 

 investigation notice should be given tn any Local Scientific or Arcbreological 



