2 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



problem or add some fact to our knowledge of living 

 organisms, by original contributions to biological literature. 



Probably the greatest scientific work of the incoming 

 century will be done not so much within the realm of one 

 particular science as on the borderland where two or 

 more sciences meet. That research is steadily tending 

 in this direction is becoming more evident day by day. 

 Eecognising this trend in scientific research, we as a 

 society may, it seems to me, considerably expand our 

 own stock of conceptions and ideas by occasional joint 

 discussions with the devotees of allied sciences on subjects 

 of mutual interest. An initiative was taken in this 

 direction last session when the Physical Society united 

 with us in a consideration of certain problems connected 

 with the physiology of the organ of hearing. I trust it 

 may be possible during the present session to arrange 

 a joint meeting with some other scientific society whose 

 sphere of work to some extent may overlap that in which 

 we biologists labour. 



Again, I believe that it is beneficial to the welfare of 

 our Society that we should occasionally go outside our 

 own circle of members and invite some distinguished 

 biologist to address us on a subject which he has made 

 specially his own. On several occasions in past years we 

 have had the pleasure of listening to such addresses, and 

 the meetings at which we have been so favoured have 

 been amongst the most successful of any we have held. 

 I am hopeful that the precedent so established may be 

 again acted upon during the year of my presidency. 



I would repeat, however, that in my opinion neither of 

 these methods of quickening public interest in Biology 

 must be allowed to obscure our main object and aim, viz., 

 the production of original research and the publication of 

 our yearly volume of Transactions, which I am proud to 



