CORRESPONDING SOCIETIES 53 1 



in the early stages of succession, but it dies out and is replaced in mature 

 scrub by R. cathartica. The causes underlying this replacement are as 

 yet unknown. This problem is typical of the fen, which has been and will 

 remain a storehouse of problems for every kind of naturalist. 



Monday, August 22. 



Dr. H. W. Parker. — The co-operation of Corresponding Societies in the 

 study of systeniatics in relation to general biology. 



The existence of the then newly formed Association for the Study of 

 Systematics in Relation to General Biology was brought to the notice of the 

 Corresponding Societies a year ago, and the delegates on that occasion 

 showed their interest in its aims by recommending the Council of the 

 British Association to co-operate. That co-operation has been fruitful of 

 results ; but the work is only just beginning and the experience of the last 

 twelve months makes it evident that some modifications in the original 

 plans are desirable. 



Specialisation is leading to an increasing isolation of the various branches 

 of biology from one another with deplorable results. Systematists are so 

 overburdened that they are often unable to devote the time necessary to 

 experiment with new methods, and faulty or inadequate identification of the 

 raw material is ruining much otherwise valuable work in other branches. It 

 is this which has led to the formation of the Systematics Association with 

 its two complementary ideals — encouragement of the use of genetical, 

 cytological, ecological and other data in taxonomy and the provision of 

 better systematic information for workers in these other fields. The 

 realisation of these ideals is a matter which affects the Corresponding 

 Societies profoundly and it is hoped that they will continue to take part in 

 the various projects which the Systematics Association has in hand. 



As a first step towards the provision of that reliable systematic information 

 which has already been mentioned, it is proposed to try to issue a series of 

 handbooks on the British fauna and flora. The information necessary for 

 the compilation of such a series of hand-books is practically non-existent 

 for many groups and surprisingly incomplete in many others which are 

 usually regarded as well known. The obvious first step is, therefore, to 

 discover what information is lacking and then try to fill the deficiencies. 

 With this end in view a questionnaire has been submitted to experts in 

 various groups to discover the extent of the existing literature and its 

 suitability for modern requirements. The answers to these questions are 

 now almost complete and a summary is being prepared for publication. 

 This list should be of considerable value to the amateur naturalist, enabling 

 him to discover the literature necessary for the determination of his material 

 in any group. But its greatest value will be in indicating those fields which 

 are fallow. The growth of systematic knowledge has been dispropor- 

 tionate ; inevitably those groups of direct economic importance and those 

 whose study does not require special technical equipment have received the 

 most attention. But other branches of biology cannot reasonably be 

 expected to restrict themselves to those fields which are taxonomically well 

 covered, and in such sciences as ecology and biogeography a uniform 

 knowledge of the whole fauna and flora is absolutely essential. 



It was at first thought that the lacunae could be filled to some extent by 

 the organisation of national panels of referees and recorders for the whole 

 animal and plant kingdoms, who could identify material collected by the 



