September U, 1903.] 



SCIENCE. 



325 



man and the evolution of climate and 

 geography, ought fairly to be regarded as 

 part of the stock in trade of the man of 

 average education. Passing to the prac- 

 tical uses of such training and knowledge, 

 he will point out, first, how the eye is 

 trained to appreciate a countrj- and the 

 use of this in reading and mapping topo- 

 graphical features : secondly, the use of the 

 conclusions of geologj' as a foundation for 

 geographical knowledge: and, thirdly, the 

 importance of geological knowledge in con- 

 nection with all economic questions rela- 

 ting to mineral M'ealth. Unfortunately for 

 Section C, the Southport meeting clashes 

 with the International Geological Congi-ess 

 at Vienna, at which several of the leading 

 British geologists are to be present. A 

 number of papers have been arranged for, 

 however, and though none appears to be 

 of very outstanding importance, a fairly 

 full program may be expected. One 

 of the most important contributions, per- 

 haps, will be a jiaper by Mr. G. W. 

 Ijaiiiplugh on the 'Disturbance of Junction- 

 Beds from Differential Shrinkage during 

 Consolidation,' while an account by Mr. 

 J. J. H. Teall of 'The Recent Work of 

 the Geological Survey,' should be of inter- 

 est. Dr. Smith Woodward has promised 

 a paper which is sure to be of value. Mr. 

 H. W. Monckton (recorder) will lay before 

 the section some notes on 'Sarsen Stones,' 

 Mr. C. C. Moote will contribute a paper on 

 the 'Porosity of Rocks,' Mr. J. G. Good- 

 child will treat of the 'Origin of Eruptive 

 Rocks,' while Mr. J. Lomas will discuss 

 'Some Glacial Lakes in Switzerland.' A 

 number of papers dealing with the geology, 

 or particular features of the geology, of 

 various localities have also been arranged 

 for, including an account by Mr. J. Lomas 

 of the geology of the country around 

 Southport. Considerable interest will at- 

 tach to the first report of the conuuittee ap- 



pointed at Belfast to investigate the fauna 

 and flora of the Trias of the British Isles. 

 The committee have this year eontiued 

 themselves to the study of footprints, and 

 ]\Tr. Beasley furnishes the bulk of the re- 

 port. 



In past years, it will be remembered, 

 zoology and physiology- have each been ac- 

 corded a separate section at the meetings 

 of the British Association. Last year, 

 however, it was decided, in view of the close 

 relation between the two subjects, to com- 

 bine the two sections, and accordingly at 

 Southport the physiologists will meet with 

 the zoologists in Section D. The president 

 of the united section is Profes.sor Sydney 

 J. Hickson. In the first part of his ad- 

 di-ess he will consider the present position 

 of the endowments and other encourage- 

 ments for original research in zoological 

 science in this countrj-, and will point out 

 the need there is for further cooperation 

 and consultation on the part of working 

 zoologists in matters affecting the common 

 interests of the science. The second part 

 of the address will be devoted to a consid- 

 eration of the general problem of the in- 

 fluence of environment in the production 

 of variation in animals. He will take the 

 group of Ccelenterata for special consider- 

 ation, and point out the bearing that the 

 facts of variation in this group have upon 

 the general question. The remaining work 

 of the section seems likely to provide a 

 very full program. No account of the 

 physiological contributions is yet avail- 

 able, but the papers on zoological subjects 

 alone constitute a faii'ly long list. A fea- 

 ture of the proceedings following the 

 president's address will, it is hoped, be a 

 discussion on fertilization, in which Pro- 

 fessor Bretland Farmer, Dr. M. D. Hill, 

 Professor E. B. Wilson, of Columbia Uni- 

 versity, and others, arc expected to take 

 part. As is the case in most of the sec- 



