4.2 REPORT—1905. 
Societies, and reduced the amount of systematic and persistent plodding 
which is necessary for many important lines of research. An ‘infinite 
capacity for taking pains’ is much more fruitful than genius in not a few 
directions ; and if the active members of a Society lack this quality, it is 
hopeless to expect them to assist in any extensive and organised scheme. 
Nevertheless, it seems to me that this Conference has other and perhaps 
equally important uses. It enables the chosen representatives of the - 
various Societies to discuss many general questions in which all are inter- 
ested ; it brings together many active workers whose exchange of ideas, 
in private conversation quite as much as in public meeting, tends to the 
advancement of our common object ; and if none of our resolutions have 
much binding force in plans for organised research, there cannot be any 
doubt as to the value of the union in friendship which results from the 
intercourse that is held. 
At the conclusion of the Chairman’s Address the Report of the 
Corresponding Societies Committee was read by the Secretary. 
The Rev. T, R. R. Stebbing (Corresponding Societies Committee), in 
opening the discussion, said he would like to ask the opinion of the 
Delegates on the question of excursions, which had been touched on by 
the Chairman. The speaker in his younger days had attended a great 
many of these excursions in Devonshire, and had found that when, for 
example, he was collecting fossils, and wanted to set to work with hammer 
and chisel on some very hard rock, before he had had time to acquire his 
specimen all the rest of the members of the excursion were a mile or more 
away. The same thing happened when he was interested in collecting 
wood-lice. He did not know what remedy there was for people of like 
tastes with himself, unless they could be attended with a motor-car that 
would enable them to overtake the other members of the excursion ! 
In the case of archeology it was different, as when anyone was dis- 
coursing on the ruins of a castle or an interesting church the whole party 
could study it, and the public at large were generally interested in such 
subjects, whereas in the study of natural history there were probably 
but very few members who cared for each special branch. While he was 
President of a local Natural History Society he had endeavoured to con- 
fine himself to natural history as much as possible, but he found that 
the lectures on architecture were more popular than any of their natural 
history subjects. Then one year they endeavoured to get specialists of 
repute to whom they paid considerable fees, and they had a very good 
time, but unfortunately were left in debt. 
Mr. W. Dale (Hampshire Field Club and Archeological Society) said 
that he had had a good deal of experience, having been Secretary of 
a club numbering 300 members, and that he had the same difficulty as 
that referred to by Mr. Stebhbing. They had no evening meetings, and 
he very much questioned whether evening meetings properly belonged to 
Natural History or Field Clubs. He thought a Natural History Society 
should take the field, and study nature in the open air. He found it 
convenient to arrange during the session at least three sectional meetings 
for the study of natural history, which they called Meetings for Nature- 
Study. Ina Field Club there would always be a certain number of people 
who were devoted to architecture. 
Mr. W. Gray (Belfast Naturalists’ Field Club) said his Society num- 
bered about. 400 members, and he had been connected with it for over 
