SECIIETARY^'S KEPORT. 
319 
The attention of the members of the Society is requested to 
the fact that Local Scientific Societies liave been admitted as Corres- 
ponding Societies of the British Association and to the following 
statement thereon. In 1883 a committee was appointed by the 
British Association to draw up suggestions upon methods of more 
systematic observation and plans of operation for " Local Societies " 
which publish their proceedings. A list of such societies, number- 
ing about 170, was prepared. The societies differ widely in character, 
ranging between those of high scientific character, whose affairs are 
managed by a regularly organised staff of officers, and whose operations 
include the original investigation of the various subjects, the results 
of which are regularly published in their proceedings ; and small 
societies and field clubs, excellently situated for conducting local 
investigations, and often doing valuable work, of which, unfortunately, 
no accessible record is kept, and little is known. In some instances 
the small societies federate themselve together greatly to the benefit 
of all concerned. The societies so united are enabled to devise 
uniform and systematic investigations in a variety of subjects. It 
can hardly be doubted that such co-operation on a still more ex- 
tended scale will result in important gains to science, and it is 
with this view that the committee sought to extend the sys- 
tem of federation and form an organized centre for local scien- 
tific societies in connection with the annual meeting of the 
British Association for the Advancement of Science. A number of 
proposals, which took the form of rules, were suggested for the con- 
sideration of the Council of the Association. In accordance with 
these any society is eligible to be placed on the list of corresponding 
societies of the British Association which undertakes local scientific 
investigations and publishes notices of the results of such investiga- 
tions, especially if they are such as are carried on by committees of 
the Association. Application must be made before the 1st of June 
in each year, and the corresponding society when elected is required 
to transmit each year to the Secretary of the Association a copy of 
its proceedings during the last twelve months. A list of the papers 
published by such society during the year will be inserted in the 
Annual Report of the Association, providing they come under one or 
