CORRESPONDING SOUETIES. 29 



Section D. 



Professor Herdman requested the delegates of Societies located on the 

 coast to give attention to the investigation of green oysters and to the 

 causes which may account for the colour. If oysters were observed to be 

 at all tinged with green, it was desirable to ascertain whether any local 

 conditions, such as the presence of copper mines near the sea, or some 

 other pollution of the water, explained the fact. Professor Herdman said 

 he would be grateful for full details as to any observed cases. 



Mr. W. E. Hoyle urged the importance of the accurate use of generic 

 and specific names in the publications of Local Societies. In particular, 

 when naming new species, full and accurate descriptions should always be 

 given. 



The second meeting of the Conference was held in the University of 

 Toronto on Monday, August 23. The Corresponding Societies Com- 

 mittee were represented by Sir John Evans, K.C.B., F.R.S., President of 

 the Association, and by Professor Meldola, F.R.S., Chairman, and Mr. 

 John Hopkinson, Secretary of the Conference. 



The Chairman said that it was usual, at this second meeting of the 

 delegates, to take the various Sections in alphabetical order, and hear from 

 representatives appointed by the sectional Committees any suggestions 

 they might have to make with regard to the Committees of Research to 

 which the Corresponding Societies could render assistance ; but he sug- 

 gested that they should take advantage of the presence of Professor 

 Miall, President of Section D, who would make some remarks upon a 

 possible line of work in which the representatives of the Local Societies 

 were interested. 



Professor Miall then made the following remarks : — ' My appearance 

 here this afternoon is due to the fact that Professor Meldola and myself, 

 who visited Niagara on Saturday, fell into conversation upon the work of 

 the Local Societies. Your chairman thought it might be of some use to 

 bring before this meeting, in the form of suggestions, as practical as 

 possible, some portions of our talk at Niagara Falls. The Local Societies 

 carry on a great variety of work, but upon that and upon the special 

 influence of those Societies with regard to scientific investigation I do not 

 intend to offer any remarks. I desire only to bring before you one par- 

 ticular line of inquiry which may be of interest to you, and from which 

 we may perceive how one side of natural history is, as it seems to me 

 unjustly neglected. I refer to the study of life-histories. We study 

 animals and plants in a great variety of forms ; we compile statistics of 

 them, and we collect specimens ; but the central point of interest, the 

 life-history of the animal, is neglected. 



' It may be thought that this study of life-histories is not specially 

 suited for the amateurs who compose a large part of the Local Societies. 

 It cannot be denied that the work is hard and has special difficulties con- 

 nected with it, for to prosecute it in an adequate manner involves some 



