The Scottish Naturalist. 



5' 



by recommending the appointment of a Committee to take steps 

 to secure the prevention of such evils in future, without placing 

 restrictions on bond-fide botanists. 



A list was read of twenty Naturalists' Societies that publish 

 Proceedings, but are not affiliated to the British Association ; and 

 it was resolved that they should be approached with a view to 

 affiliation. 



On the evening of September 6th, the delegates and their friends 

 dined together in the White Lion Hotel. 



In respect of members the Bath meeting fell behind its im- 

 mediate predecessors, the total number present being 1985, as 

 compared with 3838 at Manchester in 1887, and 2453 at Birming- 

 ham in 1886; but the grants for scientific purposes reached 

 £1645, as compared with £1186 and £995 in the two previous 

 years ; and the papers read were quite up to the average in ex- 

 cellence. Besides the address of the President, Sir Frederick Bram- 

 well, on the Value of the Next-to-nothing, and the work of 

 the eight sections, there were three most interesting evening 

 lectures, delivered to audiences of from 4000 to 5000. These 

 were by Professor Ayrton on " Electrical Transmission of 

 Force " (afterwards repeated to the working classes), by Sir John 

 Lubbock on the " Manners and Customs of Savage Races," 

 and by Professor Bonney on the " Foundation of the Earth's 

 Crust." 



Saturday, the 8th September, and Thursday, the 13th, were 

 devoted to excursions : and almost every place of interest within 

 fifty miles of Bath was visited by one or other of the sixteen parties 

 that sallied forth on these days. A magnificent flower-show on 

 4th and 5th September was open to holders of British Association 

 tickets ; as were also two large conversaziones, of which the one 

 was given by the Mayor of Bath and the other by the Microscopical 

 Societies of Bath and Bristol. Both were very largely attended. 

 At the second there were exhibited about 50 fine microscopes and 

 some thousands of slides, with enlarged diagrams of many of the 

 most noteworthy objects exhibited. 



The next meeting of the British Association will begin in New- 

 castle-on-Tyne on nth September, 1889, under the Presidency 

 of Dr. W. H. Flower, Director of the Natural History Depart- 

 ment in the British Museum. The meeting in 1890 will be held 

 in Leeds. 



