17 



FORMATION OF A 

 YORKSHIRE BOULDER COMMITTEE. 



It has long been thought advisable by many members of the York- 

 shire Naturalists' Union that in addition to the sectional work con- 

 ducted at the field excursions, committees should be formed to 

 carry on scientific research throughout the year, to be conducted in 

 a similar manner to those of the British Association. The work of 

 the latter body is by no means all done at the great annual meetings, 

 but committees are continually working upon special subjects, and 

 reporting their results annually. Thus we have committees upon the 

 rainfall of the British Isles, the migration of birds, tidal observations, 

 the erosion of our sea-coasts, the erratic blocks of England and 

 Wales, and many others. In this manner valuable facts are collected 

 and collated by scientists of repute and experience, and the year's 

 work of these committees is carefully recorded. 



The Yorkshire Naturalists' Union had at the last annual meeting 

 no fewer than 2,310 members and associates, resident in all parts of 

 the county. It is thus, from its composition, its magnitude, and 

 also from the wide radius of its operations, specially adapted for 

 the formation of such committees as the above-named. If the ladies 

 and gentlemen connected with the Union, recognising the value of 

 such committees, will promote their formation and then forward 

 reports, there would soon be such a mass of systematic scientific 

 information relative to Yorkshire, as would make it in this respect, 

 as it is in many others, the premier county in the kingdom. 



The geologists of the Union have taken the initiative in the 

 matter, and a circular was lately issued to the leading geologists in 

 the county, convening a meeting to consider the advisability of form- 

 ing a committee to receive reports relative to the erratic blocks of 

 Yorkshire. The meeting was duly held in Leeds, and letters were 

 read from Professor Green, F.R.S., Professor Miall, F.L.S., Mr. J. W. 

 Davis, F.G.S., and other well-known Yorkshire geologists, expressing 

 their approval and promising their support. The Rev. E. Maule 

 Cole, M.A., president of the Geological Section of the Union, and 

 other gentlemen had previously commended the idea. The follow- 

 ing resolution was then unanimously passed, and afterwards ratified 

 by the Executive of the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union : — ' That in 

 connection with the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union, a committee be 

 and is hereby formed, to be named the "Yorkshire Boulder Com- 

 mittee," the duty of this committee being to receive reports and 

 conduct observations relative to the Erratic Blocks of Yorkshire, 

 including particulars as to their position, height above the sea, litho- 

 logical character, size and origin, and to work upon the same lines 



Jan. 1887. c 



