Avaust 4, 1899.] 
number of cards contemplated was not even 
alluded to in the Conferences, while the 
methods that have given such strikingly 
successful results have been condemned 
without consideration. In their place, 
methods similar to those which the Con- 
cilium tried and discarded are now proposed, 
and plans are elaborated that forebode a 
complete catastrophe. In the meantime, 
other organizations have tried methods 
similar to our own and have reached valu- 
able results. So much has been done, in- 
deed, and so much money and labor have 
been expended, that an abandonment of the 
work is out of the question. If the new 
bibliography rejects these methods there is 
no other course possible than for the gov- 
ernments that have been convinced of the 
value of these methods to maintain a second 
parallel bibliography. .The decision of the 
Conference, held under the presidency of the 
Swiss Minister of Interior, is clear in this 
regard: It makes the participation of Switz- 
erland definitely dependent upon the ac- 
ceptation of these tried methods, and gives 
the government freedom of action in case 
its conditions are not accepted. For my 
part, I feel that I should belie the entire 
character of our enterprise were I to hold 
aloof from the Royal Society from motives of 
personal interest. But it seems equally 
certain that I should betray the trust that 
was given to me were I to consent, through 
motives of personal interest, to render use- 
less the work which has been so zealously 
built up. We owe it to the world that the 
work of five years should not be labor in 
vain. 
But what necessity exists for. such drastic 
measures? We are still ready to rally un- 
der the banner of the Royal Society. The 
only condition is one that will preserve the 
Royal Society’s undertaking from catas- 
trophe. 
HERBERT HAVILAND FIELD. 
ZURICH. 
SCIENCE. 143 
THE AUSTRALASIAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE 
ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE.* 
I NEED hardly remind you that the Aus- 
tralasian Association held its first meet- 
ing in Sidney, from 27th August to 5th 
September, of the Centennial year, 1888, 
under the presidency of Mr. H. C. Russell, 
C.M.G., F.R.S., with a roll of 859 full 
members. Meetings have since been held 
in Melbourne in 1890, with 1,162 full mem- 
bers, when the late Baron von Mueller, K. 
C.M.G., F.R.S., M.D.and Ph.D., was Presi- 
dent; at Christchurch, N. Z., in 1891— 
President, Sir James Hector, K.C.M.G., 
M.D., F.R.S.; at Hobart, in 1892—Presi- 
dent, His Excellency Sir Robert Hamilton, 
K.C.B., LL.D.; at Adelaide, in 1893--Presi- 
dent, Professor Ralph Tate, F.G.S., F.L.S.; 
and at Brisbane, in 1895, when the Hon. A. 
C. Gregory, C.M.G., M.L.C., F.R.G.S., was 
President. 
The government of New South Wales 
provided for the printing of the first volume, 
and the governments of Victoria, Tasma- 
nia, New Zealand, South Australia and 
Queensland have each in turn given liberal 
assistance, both by money grants and in 
other ways towards the expenses of the 
session, and by printing the volume of re- 
ports and papers. 
The Association has up to the present 
published 6 volumes of reports, each of 
about 1,000 pages, containing much im- 
portant matter; it has appointed commit- 
tees for the investigation of the following 
subjects ; all have furnished reports, which, 
being of permanent value, have been 
printed, viz: 
1. The Establishment and Endowment of a Bio- 
logical Station for Australasia. 
2. Certain points in the Construction and Hygienic 
Requirements of Places of Amusement in Sydney. 
3. A Census of Australasian Minerals. 
4. Glacial Evidence in Australasia, £20 granted 
towards the expenses. 
* From the address of the President at the Seventh 
Meeting, held at Sydney, 1898. 
