370 REPORT— 1897. 



Investigations made at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Plymouth. — 

 Report of the Committee, consisting of Mr. G. C. Bourne (Chair- 

 man), Professor E. Eay Lankester {Secretary), Professor S. H. 

 Vines, Mr. A. Sedgwick, and Professor W. F. R. Weldon, 

 appointed to enable Mr. Walter Garstang to occupy a table at 

 the laboratory of the Marine Biological Association at Plymouth 

 for an experimental investigation as to the extent and character of 

 selection occurring amoyig certain eels and fishes, and to cover the 

 cost of certain apptaratiis. 



The Committee have received the following report from Mr. Gar- 

 stang : — 



'I occupied the British Association table at the Plymouth Laboratory 

 during the last Easter vacation, and found the large experimental tank, 

 which I had arranged to be built, ready for work. A number of pre- 

 liminary experiments upon the relations as enemies and prey between 

 certain small shore-crabs and shallow-water fishes were made during my 

 tenure of the table, and showed the feasibility of studying the process of 

 selection under the semi-natural conditions of a specially constructed 

 aquarium. A large number of coloured figures have been made under my 

 direction by Miss Willis, to illustrate the course and results of the 

 experiments. 



' My appointment, in May last, as naturalist at the Plymouth Labora- 

 tory compelled me, however, to resign my occupation of the British 

 Association table, and has temporarily interrupted the progress of the 

 work. This, however, will be resumed at an early date, and I hope to be 

 in a position to lay the results of the inquiry before the Association at 

 the Bristol meeting.' 



The Position of Geography in the Educational System of the Country. — 

 Report of the Committee, consisting of Mr. H. J. Mackinder 

 {Chairman), Mr. A. J. Herbertson {Secretary), Dr. J. Scott 

 Keltie, Dr. H. E. Mill, Mr. E. G. Ravenstein, and Mr. Eli 

 SowERBUTTS. {Prepared by the Secretary?) 



The holding of the Sixth International Geographical Congress in London, 

 in 1895, forcibly drew attention to the position of geography in our educa- 

 tional system. Sir Clements Markham, in his eloquent presidential address, 

 spoke most impressively of the inadequate manner in which geography 

 was treated in our country, and urged the need of altering this. In the 

 discussion on geographical education, the British members emphasised the 

 statements of the President, and a committee was appointed to draw up a 

 resolution on the subject of geographical education. The Committee de- 

 cided that any resolution proposed for adoption by an International Con- 

 gress should not reflect on the affairs of any country, but must deal with 

 general considerations applicable to all countries, and accordingly the 

 Committee proposed and the Congress passed the following resolution : — 

 ' The attention of this International Congress having been drawn by 

 the British members to the educational efforts being made by the British 

 Geographical Societies, the Congress desires to express its hearty sympathy 



