Ball — Presidents Address to the Royal Geological Society. 71 



correspondents that our journal is acceptable in exchange for the 

 publications of other societies, of which many possess a high 

 intrinsic value. 



But those who have to provide the material for the journal are 

 not unmindful that it falls short, not only of being what it ought 

 to be, but even of what it might easily be, if all geologists in 

 Ireland would give their aid. 



We want a larger income to enable us to provide fitting illus- 

 trations. Many Greological Papers require, in order to be intelli- 

 gible, more or less costly illustrations, and writers of such Papers 

 would, doubtless, be more willing than they are at present to use 

 our journal as their medium of publication, were they assured that 

 such illustrations could be given with their Papers. To a certain 

 extent our present association with the Eoyal Dublin Society en- 

 ables us to produce the journal at a less cost than would be the 

 case were we working single-handed; but in our straitened cir- 

 cumstances we have hitherto been enabled to avail ourselves of 

 this aid as regards illustrations to but a. very limited extent. 



Those of our members who contribute with most regularity to 

 the journal — and the list of them is not a long one — give the Society 

 not only their best and most important Papers, for which they 

 might obtain a wider publication elsewhere, but they also give 

 Papers of minor importance, the professed object of which is to 

 provide the Society with material for its meetings. 



This is, perhaps, a not altogether healthy state of things; a 

 longer list of contributors, and fewer contributions from the same 

 individuals, would indicate a wider basis of support. In purely 

 provincial societies, whose existence is due to the exertions of a few 

 energetic individuals, such is to be expected ; but it behoves us all 

 to do our utmost to place and keep this Metropolitan Society in a 

 higher rank than is ordinarily attained by a merely provincial 

 society. The Eoyal Geological Society of Ireland is entitled by 

 its past history and reputation to the support of everyone interested 

 in the geology of Ireland in particular, and of residents in Ireland 

 who are interested in general geology, all of whom we call upon to 

 contribute their aid iu the directions above pointed out. 



No one has realized the Society's state of affairs more fully 

 than our outgoing President ; he naturally feels anxiety for its 

 future, while its existing condition ever presents itself to -him in 



