Editorial Comment. 427 
heard by those to whom it is addressed. This cannot be the 
case when the paper is held low and the head bent over it, so 
that the voice is scarcely audible a few feet from the platform. 
Moreover, in many cases the reading is so rapid, that intelligent 
hearing is impossible. These faults detract from the interest, 
and destroy the attention of the listeners. 
Further, it is worthy of consideration, if it would not be bet- 
ter, except in a few special cases, to read ''by title only" all 
papers whose authors are absent. A substitute cannot do the 
paper justice. He often stumbles over the handwriting; he 
constantly reads too fast; and fair discussion is almost impossi- 
ble. It is, moreover, just to those who are present to prefer 
them to the absent. 
One other slight matter regarding the conduct of the sectional 
meeting is worth a moment's notice. It is the practice of some 
of the chairmen to call on one person after another to address 
the meeting. No doubt, they deem these the fittest to add ele- 
ments of interest. Perhaps this judgment may be right; but in 
most cases it kills discussion, and reduces the so-called argument 
to the expression of separate individual opinions . The vivacity 
that springs from quick and prompt remark, question and an- 
swer is lost, and attention often flags. Many of the gentlemen 
called on speak to the point, but in almost all cases some of them 
merely rise in compliance with the call of the chair, and add 
nothing of value or interest to the so-called discussion. The 
chairman, of course, has the right to use his judgment in request- 
ing any well-known man of science to briefly address the audi- 
ence, but the field should be thrown open to all before the dis- 
cussion is closed. 
Outside of the section there are the various excursions — a 
very pleasant and valuable feature of the meetings, affording 
opportunities for conversation and intercourse not otherwise 
attainable. In the British Association the members taking part 
pay their own expenses. In the American Association the ex- 
cursions are usually free. It is a difficult question to decide 
which plan is preferable in the interest of the Societies. The 
chief difficulty in both is to resist the tendency to extend the 
excursions at the cost of the Section, so to reduce the working- 
time in favor of the pleasure-time. It must be borne in mind 
that the latter is not to be underrated. It gives opportunity 
