62 
NATURE NOTES. 
on regularly and throughout the whole of the district in which 
the members of each branch reside. 
There are hundreds of points of the greatest interest in the 
life-histories of animals and plants still to be studied. Observa- 
tions of all kinds, whether on distribution, food, song, migration 
or habits should be sent in regularly to the secretaries of branches 
and forwarded by them to the head-quarters of the Society. 
These, of course, could not all be published ; most of them 
would, no doubt, be merely statements of well known facts. 
But they might be annually summarised and an epitome might 
appear at the end of each year in Nature Notes, embodying 
the results so far as they were of value. If such a system were 
established branches could work together much more than they 
now do, and although the members are scattered over so wide a 
held, the Society would become consolidated. Neighbouring 
branches could meet and compare their local lists of plants and 
animals, the various branches along the course of the Thames 
could endeavour to trace the course of migrator}" birds up the 
valley of the river by examining the dates at which they were 
noticed at various points, and many other interesting subjects 
could be worked out. Accurate observations are always valu- 
able, and it must be remembered that statistics collected for one 
purpose are often useful for another. 
The size of such a Society as ours is sufficient to enable us 
to have a net-work of observers throughout the country, and the 
most valuable facts might be established if such a system were 
once set on foot. The simplest observations, quite apart from 
their scientific value, are their own reward, and they may be 
carried on anywhere. Sometimes people say they live in a bad 
place for natural history, and that there is nothing to observe. 
That is nonsense. Places vary in their abundance of life, but 
there is everywhere enough to keep a man well employed in 
observation throughout his life. The smallest district is an ever- 
increasing source of interest to the person who endeavours to 
study its natural history. 
How many of us know anything of the life-history of the 
commonest fly on our window pane? “All nature,’’ said Gil- 
bert White, “ is so full that that district produces the greatest 
variety which is the most examined.” 
A. H. Macpherson. 
[Mr. Macpherson has most correctly interpreted our wishes 
expressed in the Editorial Programme of Nature Notes, as is 
plain from the sentence which immediately follows that which 
he has quoted: “We may hope that Nature Notes will do,- 
much to utilise such observations, and to collate the experience 
of various observers.” We much approve his present enlarge- 
ment of the original idea to that of organised observation on the 
part of the Branches of the Selborne Society ; and if the secre- 
taries of the various Branches will respond to the suggestion 
made, we will undertake that results forwarded to us shall be 
tabulated by competent authorities and duly published. 
