CORRKSPONDINU SOCIETIES. 571 



no sense opposed to those of my predecessor in this chair, Sir Thomas Holland, 

 whose proposals could, one and all, be adopted concurrently with mine, as, 

 indeed, T trust they some day may be. 



Sir Edward Brabrook (Balliam and District Antiquarian and Natural His- 

 t(ny Society) proposed a vote of thanJis to the President, whose Address had 

 shown conclusively the value which attached to Conferences such as these. Witli 

 regard to the first question which was about to be discussed, he asked leave to 

 explain that the Report which had been laid upon the table was that of a Com- 

 mittee of the Council of the Association appointed to consider the subject of 

 Popular Scientific Lectures, and was, in fact, an interim report awaiting further 

 consideration by that Committee. It mainly consisted of a valuable digest, 

 prepared by Professor Gregory at the Committee's request, of the answers 

 received by the Committee to their inquiries : but it also contained certain 

 recommendations, with which the speaker himself entirely concurred, but for 

 which the Committee as a body were not responsible, and, as these were at 

 present without oflicial sanction, their free discussion by the Conference wouUl 

 be welcome and desirable. 



The Rev. T. R. R. Stebbing (Tunbridge Wells Natural History and Philo- 

 sophical Society), in seconding the vote, said : Our President is so sensible of the 

 value of time Uiat the rapid delivery of his Address has left my slow-working 

 mind unable to grasp at once all the valuable suggestions he has been offering, 

 or even to formulate the compliments you would wish me to offer him in return. 

 On one point I venture to make a remark. The faunistic lists drawn up with- 

 out expert knowledge may introduce many errors in regard to distribution. 

 For this reason I myself in presenting such a list endeavour to supplement it 

 with some information which may enable other students to test my tru.stworthi- 

 nes6. The President gives a valuable warning against the publishing, or, 

 rather, concealing of important facts in obscure Reports. Much time, also, is 

 wasted by the inadequate description of species which celebrated naturalists 

 of old often thought sufficient; moreover, rising naturalists in the present do 

 not always recognise the increasing need for full illustration by pen and pencil. 



The first subject for discussion was ' The Encouragement of Public Interest 

 in Science by IMeans of Popular Lectures.' The Corresponding Societies Com- 

 mittee had introduced it at the request of the Council of the British Association, 

 the reason being that the special Committee, with Professor R. A. Gregory as 

 Secretary, mentioned by Sir Edward Brabrook, had been brought into existence 

 to consider the matter. 



The following paper was read by Mr. Percival J. Ashton, Extension 

 Lecture Secretary of the Selborne Society : — ■ 



The Encouragement of Public Interest in Science hy means of Popidar 



Lectures. 



It has been recently said that much less attention is now given to popular 

 lectures than was formerly the case ; and if such be the fact, then it is high.!.\- 

 desirable, at a time when the need for educating the public in science is manifest, 

 that the scientific societies should bestir themselves in this matter. 



The report of the Committee appointed by the British Association to investi- 

 gate this (juestion will show whether the above statement is correct, and it is 

 to be hoped that it will give much valuable information thereon. Whatever tlie 

 consensus of opinion may be as to the relative importance given in the past an<l 

 at present to the spread of popular scientific education, it is incontestable that 

 the most jnonounced effort of the past would be inadequate to deal with the 

 vast opportunities of the future. 



Science must play an all-important role, both during and after the war^ and 

 the scientific societies will have to deal with the problem in a broad, eiilighteiird 

 manner, and make a deteiinined effort to instil into the minds of the people tlir 

 need of a sound scientific training, treating science in its broadest aspect, and 

 applying the tenets of scientific thought to the various ramifications of trade and 

 industry. 



