THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 
243 
demands of scientific men for grants of public money to carry on investi- 
gations of pure science were first seriously listened to. They are now 
rarely refused, and this has arisen from the development of a combined 
action, mainly induced by the meetings of the Association and the bringing 
together of men from all parts of the country, earnestly and honestly 
pursuing similar investigations and discussing, with perfect freedom, the 
bearings of every question brought before them, A voice of this kind 
could not but be heard ; and as the meetings have now been held, not 
only in each University, more than once, but in most large towns through- 
out the kingdom, and the members have always been received with open 
arms as public benefactors, their recommendations coming continually 
with more and more force. 
We have endeavoured to show in these few remarks that the variety of sub- 
jects embraced at the meetings is as great as the spirit of the Association is 
catholic. The range is, indeed, widening rather than narrowing, and this in 
spite of the vigorous branches that have been thrown off from time to time. 
There is, beyond all doubt, a spirit of vitality and an amount of energy 
developed that show no symptoms of decay ; and as the original members, 
now old, are being well replaced by younger men rising into distinction, it 
is to be hoped that the stage of doubtful and weakened activity that super- 
venes on all societies when the founders suddenly quit the field and their 
successors are hardly familiar with their work, is now well passed, and 
that a long and useful future may be anticipated. 
PART II. 
SECTION AND SUB-SECTION D. 
ZOOLOGY, BOTANY, AND PHYSIOLOGY. 
BY DR. COLLINGWOOD, &c. 
At the opening of this Section on Thursday morning, October 2nd, the 
President, Professor Lluxley, F.R.S., delivered an excellent address of 
one hour’s duration, selecting for his subject, “The Condition and Pro- 
spects of Biological Science.” Biology is the science which investigates 
the nature and relation of organized beings, and that comprehensive 
subject he divided into the following sub-groups. 1st, Morphology, or 
the doctrine of form and structure, including the almost new science 
of Development, for which we were chiefly indebted to the Germans ; 
Anatomy and Histology, or the anatomy of the tissues ; and Taxonomy, 
or the systematic classification of plants and animals. 2nd, Physiology , 
which takes cognizance of the vital functions, sustentative and generative, 
performed by organic beings. 3rd, Distribution, whether in time (Palae- 
ontology), or in space (geographical distribution). 4th, JEtiology, or the 
laws of origination and variation, including the physiology of direct 
and indirect conditions. These were the objects of the science, and taking 
