— 
SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.—D, E. 457 
(ii) The discovery by Matz in sugar-cane, by Knakel in corn, and by Palm in 
tobacco of less well-defined organisms, some of which are amceboid in structure 
and are found in plant tissues affected by mosaic disease. 
(iii) The demonstration of protistan organisms causing widespread sterility 
in a large percentage of the anthers and ovaries of cultivated plants. 
The above investigations lead to the suggestion that some of the unexplained 
virus diseases of plants may be due to the attack of protistan organisms having 
phases in their life-history which hitherto have eluded observation. 
SECTION E.—GEOGRAPHY. 
(For references to the publication elsewhere of communications entered in 
the following list of transactions, see p. 505.) 
Thursday, September 13. 
). Presidential Address by Dr. Vauauan Cornisu on The Geo- 
graphical Position of the British Empire. (See p. 126.) 
2. The Region arownd the Mersey and Dee Estuaries. 
Three papers dealing with the area which is being studied by the Liverpool 
and District Regional Survey Associaticn, having Liverpool as its centre, and 
extending nearly to Southport on the north, Wigan and Warrington on the 
east, and including the western portion of Cheshire and the northern slopes 
of the Flintshire range of hills beyond the estuary of the Dee. 
(a) Mr. W. Hewirr.—Phystographicai Features. 
The sandstone ridges; low-lying coastal plains and alluvial areas; sand- 
dune belt; ancient inland mossland, and meres; influence on site of early 
settlements ; contrasted features and history of the two estuaries; tidal inlets 
on the Mersey and their utilisation; isolation of south-west Lancashire. 
(b) Mr. H. Kina.—Distribution of Population. 
Method of representation ; consideration of distribution in 1801 in relation 
to (i) the coalfield and other industries, (ii) the port of Liverpool, (iii) the 
agricultural areas, (iv) means of communication. Evolution of the present 
distribution in relation to (i) expansion of industries and trade, (i1) development 
of railway system and extension of residential districts. The effect of institu- 
tions on the relative density. Desirability of retaining existing thinly popu- 
lated areas between the industrial districts and the coastal towns. 
(c) Mr. R. C. Moorz.—The Industrial Geography. 
No single dominating industry but many of importance. Liverpool itself 
More a centre of commerce than of industry, but has long association with 
alkali, sugar-refining. milling, engineering, &c. Well-defined industrial areas 
within region. Problems in connection with origin and growth of industries, 
and the situation in relation to communications and supply of raw materials. 
In the afternoon an excursion to the Docks took place. 
3. Report of Committee on Geography Teaching. (See p. 321.) 
Friday, September 14. 
4. Prof. J. L. Myres, O.B.E.—The Marmora Region. 
Low-lying but mainly land-locked, between Continental plateau of Asia Minor 
and ‘ Balkan ’ highlands of Europa Minor, permits intercommunication between 
them ; but as their convergent drainages skirt instead of intersect it, such inter- 
course is inevitably subject to local controls, especially as the basin itself sinks so 
- low as to be traversed by an open sea-way from the Bosphorus to the Dardanelles, 
- This makes the Marmora also a region of transition and traffic between the 
_ gean Archipelago and the Black Sea even more strongly contrasted in physique 
and products than are the Continental areas of Europe and Asia. Yet this 
