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The Scottish Naturalist. 



soon found, however, that with the march of science and the rapid 

 increase in the number of members, more sections were needed ; 

 and from the year 1835 onwards Anatomy and Medicine and 

 Physiology were grouped together as Section E. In the same 

 year Section F was added for Statistics. In 1836 G was added 

 for Mechanical Science. In 1851 there were some rearrangements, 

 and E became Geography and Ethnology; and in 1884 this last 

 subject, under the name of Anthropology, was made a separate 

 section (H). There are thus, at the present time, eight sections, 

 each having a complete working staff, consisting of the president, 

 often as many as eight or ten vice-presidents, and a committee of 

 about 50 or 60 members, each of whom has attained more or less 

 eminence in the science dealt with in the section. The general 

 management of the Association is in the hands of the council ; 

 and practically they alone have the power to accept or reject 

 communications ; which, when considered suitable, are sent to 

 the appropriate section. A small brochure or "Journal," pub- 

 lished every morning during the time occupied by the meeting, 

 and distributed gratuitously to all members, gives a list of the 

 names of the office-bearers and committee of each section, and 

 the titles and authors of all the papers that are to be read that 

 day : this enables any one to see what he is most interested in, 

 and to make for the meeting-room of any particular section. No 

 town should invite the British Association to visit it unless it can 

 provide a room for each section, capable of accommodating up- 

 wards of 400 persons, and provided with a large platform ; but 

 even that alone is not enough, for a reception-room is absolutely 

 indispensable ; and so also is a very large hall for the President's 

 opening address, and for the evening lectures. Both at Bath and 

 at Newcastle the Volunteer Drill Hall was used for the latter 

 purpose; and on each occasion probably about 5000 persons were 

 present. The reception-room also must be large, and capable of 

 subdivision ; for it is the general rendezvous of the members on 

 first arrival ; here they get and pay for their tickets, if they have 

 not previously done so, and get seats numbered and allotted for the 

 President's address, and for evening lectures in the large hall ; 

 here also are issued the daily " Journal," and programmes and 

 tickets for all the excursions. It should also contain a postal and 

 telegraph office, and large accommodation for reading and also 

 for writing. There must be provided, in addition, a meeting-room 



