Dec., 1891. Birmingham natural history society. 
278 
remunerative working. The Dudley district of Britain was, 
perhaps, more valuable for its size, from an economical point 
of view, than any other ; while from a geological point of view 
there was no district where the problems presented were more 
interesting or more fascinating to the geologist. Every new 
discovery made by the men of the Dudley district affected the 
geology of the whole of the Midlands, and he congratulated the 
members of that Union on their visit to a district and a town 
of such great and far-reaching interest. He would urge all 
present to push onward to the future, proud of the past and 
its results, helping on the continued progress of the science 
they loved, and encouraging and stimulating each other to 
renewed exertions and fresh discoveries. 
On the motion of Mr. Amphlett, seconded by Mr. E. B. 
Marten, a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Professor 
Lapwortli for his address. 
BIRMINGHAM NATURAL HISTORY AND MICRO¬ 
SCOPICAL SOCIETY. 
SOCIOLOGICAL SECTION. 
During the last half-year seventeen meetings of this 
section have been held, six ordinary and eleven supplementary, 
under the presidency of Mr. W. R. Hughes, F.L.S., except 
on the first meeting, when the chair was taken by Mr. Alfred 
Browett. The ordinary meetings were held on the following 
Tuesdays:— 
January 27th, when Professor Hillhouse read an address 
on the “ Inductions of Sociology.” In the course of a 
masterly paper, the Professor made the original contention 
that the conception of a society was not complete if it took 
cognisance of the human units alone. He contended that 
the various means with which mankind supplements its 
efforts are integral parts of society: without them society 
could not have arisen and could not exist. He maintained 
that the adjuncts form a skeleton part, round which the 
units live and move, as leaves ; the active parts of plants come 
and go, leaving the framework of the tree much as they 
found it. Professor Hillhouse based his arguments upon the 
contention that a scratching stick in the hands of a savage 
became, as it were, a portion of him, but detachable—“a 
separable finger-nailsimilarly a stone became a detachable 
missile fist. 
February 24th.—This meeting was held in the Biological 
Lecture Theatre, about one hundred members and friends 
