426 Editorial Comment. 
between scientific men and the general public. These objects 
have been largely promoted, and the cause of science has gained 
many recruits. In regard to the British Association, it would 
be difficult to overestimate the results that it has accomplished 
by judicious grants of money in furtherance of definite lines of 
research. For example, the grant just made of £100 for aiding 
the excavation of the Roman bath above mentioned was not 
only a graceful acknowledgment of the hospitality of that city, 
but a contribution to a very useful end. ' For 16 years the Asso- 
ciation voted annually the same amount for the exploration of 
Kent's cavern, which has yielded the most definite evidence thus 
far obtained in England in favor of the antiquity of man. This 
method is not yet Avithin the reach of all similar bodies, but 
should be kept in view as a desirable method of indirect work. 
Another extremely valuable branch of the Association's labors 
is the annual reports of numerous committees specially appointed 
to investigate various problems requiring much time, labor and 
patience, but for which no remuneration can be given. Such is 
the "Boulder" Committee, which has been in existence for many 
years, and the "Earth-tremors" Committee, of recent creation. 
Their reports are not read, but handed in with a few remarks by 
the chairman to the appropriate section. All this belongs to 
what may be called the " unseen work " of this association, and 
is really more important than most of the "seen " work done in 
the sectional meetings. This latter is necessarily of a much 
more popular and discursive nature, and not altogether above 
criticism. The faults do not lie altogether with the managers, 
but are in great part inseparable from the incongruous and mis- 
cellaneous nature of the gatherings. It may be worth while to 
point out a few of these. A notice of some defects that strike 
the by-stander may furnish hints to all those engaged in similar 
societies. For example, the plan of holding only a single ses- 
sion from 11 till 3 o'clock has the disadvantage of compelling 
almost every one to slip away in order to get a lunch, which might 
be avoided by adjourning at 1 o'clock for an hour, and continu- 
ing the session till four. This plan would also afford a pleasant 
interval for conversation to those who desire it. One other point 
deserves mention — the bad, indistinct reading of many of those 
who ju'esent papers. It is the duty of a man who claims the 
attention of an audience to take care that what he says shall be 
