'37 



COMMITTEE OF SL'QQESTIONS FOR RESEARCH. 



The Yorkshire Naturalists' Union, with an ori^^anised system 

 of Sections and Committees of Research, a valuable series of 

 monographs issued as transactions, and a monthly journal of 

 good repute, has in this way pledged itself to carry on research 

 work on the Natural History of Yorkshire. In the early days 

 of the Union, research — or the revealing of new facts — was 

 probably somewhat easier than it is now, when new species and 

 new records are harder to obtain. Yet with increased difficulties 

 there are increased facilities — better primary education, better 

 tools to work with, and better means for visiting all parts of 

 the county. The earlier work was done largely by individual 

 members ; the present and future work would be greatly facili- 

 tated by the co-operation of members in definite investigations. 

 The growth of special committees with special objects is distinct 

 evidence of this need. The formation of a committee for 

 research signifies the closer linking of a limited number of 

 members having a common object — to carry the subject they 

 take up further forward than they found it. These committees 

 have enhanced the reputation, not only of the Union as a whole, 

 but also that of the parent sections, and they have encouraged 

 individual members to achieve results which might never have 

 passed the bud-stage without the stimulus of co-operation. Yet 

 the committee system has its weak places. It tends to draft 

 off" many active naturalists into companies, each with its own 

 plan of campaign. Without a general staff" of control there is 

 the risk of loss of touch in the operations, and useful investiga- 

 tions in the natural history of the county are neglected. These 

 weaknesses exist in scientific work as a whole. The British 

 Association has as one of its functions the correlating of scientific 

 workers not only in Britain, but in other parts of the world. 

 The original conception of the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union 

 was to bring together the numerous naturalists' societies in 

 Yorkshire not only socially but also as workers in natural 

 history. The co-operation of different branches of science is 

 specially necessary when the object is to learn as much as 

 possible about a district. This is not difficult in the case of any 

 one local naturalists' society whose members meet together 

 frequently. In the case of the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union it 

 is a difficulty. The Committee of Suggestions for Research is 

 a proposed solution. On first thoughts the Executive, elected 

 from the sections and committees, may appear to satisfy the 



1904 May I. , 



