PROCEEDINGS—PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. XXI 
Editor —Dr. F. Buchanan White, F.L.S., F.E.S. 
Councillors —Col. Campbell, Ex-Dean of Guild M £ Arthur, Lieut.-Col. 
Duthie, and J. Ritchie, LL.B. 
The President delivered the following Address :— 
Gentlemen,— The work done by our Society during the past 
year has been on the whole satisfactory. The meetings have been 
well attended, and considerable interest has been shown in the sub¬ 
jects brought forward. Of the papers read, a rather larger propor¬ 
tion than usual have dealt with subjects apart from those embraced 
within the more immediate sphere of our work, namely, the Natural 
History of our district. This, however, is not to be regretted, as it 
helps to extend popular interest in general scientific research, and also 
to prevent us from taking too narrow a view of our own individual de¬ 
partments of study. One, at least, of the papers read has excited 
considerable comment outside our own walls. As a Scientific Society, 
however, it should be our function to show that nothing is to be 
feared from the fullest and freest investigation of truth, even when 
facts which are brought to light run counter to preconceived notions. 
It is not our part to enter into any controversy regarding practical 
questions arising from such investigations, but at the same time we 
should be failing in our duty if we tried to suppress the result which 
the laborious use of the microscope and the chemical re-agent had 
yielded. 
Some of our members are, I doubt not, disappointed at the 
apparently slow rate at which the new Museum building advances 
towards completion. This is due entirely to the exceptionally 
damp weather we have lately experienced, which has rendered 
it inadvisable to hurry on the plaster-work and wood-work. It is 
satisfactory to learn, however, from the Inspector, that every detail 
of the work up to the present point has been most carefully executed. 
In a Museum building, of all others, it is essential that the workmanship 
should be of the most substantial and enduring character possible, for, 
not only must the objects to be exhibited be preserved from damp and 
dust and the possibility of fire, but they should not be liable to 
disturbance from unnecessary repairs to the building. In the mean¬ 
time, your Building Committee have been employing the time in 
maturing their plans for the arrangement of the collections, in getting 
more information regarding the most recent forms of cases, and 
otherwise preparing for the laborious task which lies before them 
after the tradesmen have completed their part of the work. In this 
connection I should like to say that I trust many members, who may 
have some leisure time to spare, will volunteer to assist in the work 
of transferring the old specimens and arranging the new. No one 
who has not had experience of this kind of work can realise how 
much there is to be done; and, if we cannot afford to engage the 
services of a paid Curator, we can only hope to accomplish the task 
by the aid of a band of willing helpers, working under the directions 
of those in charge of the several departments. Perhaps some of our 
lady members may be willing to assist in this undertaking. 
