>_ 



18 PRESIDENT S ADDRESS. 



Physical Science in Newcastle a year and a half ago. But, owing 

 to insufficiency of funds at the first for the endowment of more 

 than four chairs, Biology in all its phases was crushed out, and 

 we have the anomaly in our midst of a natural science school, 

 in which no Natural History science beyond Geology is taught. 

 Rumours of a better time are astir, and alike for the interests of 

 the studies we affect, and for the credit of the College we may 

 all hope that it is true, that funds are now likely to be forth- 

 coming for the introduction of biological science as a part of the 

 College curriculum. 



A subject of considerable importance has been brought under 

 the notice of the Field Club, by a circular received from a sub- 

 committee of the British Association appointed to consider the 

 subject of the organization of local scientific societies. The duty 

 remitted to this Committee was " To consider and report whether 

 any steps can be taken to render scientific organization more 

 complete and effectual," and the circular set forth the ill effects 

 which arise from work of the same sort being prosecuted in 

 different localities without reference to each other. It was 

 suggested that closer relations between such societies might be 

 attained, with corresponding breadth in the results of investiga- 

 tion, by 



1. The publication annually, in a collected form, of observa- 

 tions or discussions possessing general interest. 



2. By organising a system of cooperation, by personal or writ- 

 ten communication, or both. 



To this end it was proposed, that delegates from certain se- 

 lected societies and representatives from others, should meet an- 

 nually for the discussion of questions relative to combined action, 

 and that the delegates should act as a committee of selection in 

 respect to the papers to be included in the common volume of 

 reports. 



At the July Field Meeting this document was read and freely 

 discussed, but the proposals were thought to be so wanting in 

 definition, even in essential particulars (perhaps unavoidably so), 

 that the meeting was not prepared to do more than recognise the 

 general importance of the object. A strong feeling was expressed 



