38 
J. HOPKINSON-THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION 
have been intimately associated, and the first Committee appointed 
by the Conference consisted only of two members of our Society. 
This Committee formed the nucleus of the present Corresponding 
Societies’ Committee. 
In the year 1884 the meeting of the British Association was held 
at Montreal, and there was afterwards held in London an adjourned 
meeting of the General Committee at which entirely new rules 
with regard to the representation of provincial societies were passed 
(Appendix II, p. 48), making the Conferences, from the year 1885, 
a recognised department of the Association. 
The “ Conference of Delegates from Provincial Societies” now 
assembles twice during each annual meeting of the Association, 
and the “ Corresponding Societies’ Committee” holds several meet¬ 
ings a year in London. Of this Committee Mr. H. George Fordham 
was the first Secretary, and he originated and organised most of the 
work which is now most ably carried on by the present Secretary, 
Professor Meldola, F.R.S. 
At the meetings of the Conference of Delegates the principal 
subjects discussed are connected with the work of the different 
committees of the Association appointed to carry on special scientific 
investigations in which local societies can render aid, members of 
each committee attending and expressing their requirements to the 
Delegates who in their turn express their views on the subjects 
thus brought before them and on other matters of interest to pro¬ 
vincial societies; while the work resulting from these meetings is 
carried on by the Corresponding Societies’ Committee. 
With regard to the work of this Committee I may mention that 
its reports, which appear in the annual volumes of the British 
Association, contain a resume of the proceedings of the Conferences 
of Delegates, a list of the Corresponding Societies giving particulars 
as to number of members, entrance fee, annual subscription, etc., 
and an “ Index ” to the more important papers published by them 
each year, especially those giving the results of local scientific in¬ 
vestigations. One of the chief objects of the Committee is in fact 
to further such investigations by giving advice as to subjects for 
research and methods of conducting it, and by making known, by 
means of this index, the publication of the results of such research. 
Our own Society is one of the Corresponding Societies, and every 
year but one since its formation in 1875 it has been represented by 
a Delegate at the meetings of the British Association.*' 
I will now endeavour to show how we can assist the Committees 
of the British Association which are at the present time carrying 
on local scientific investigations, and also how we may help some 
other societies and individuals engaged in similar work. 
* Our Delegates have been as follows:—Dr. John Evans, F.B.S., at Bristol 
in 1875, Dublin in 1878, Aberdeen in 1885, and Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1889 ; 
Dr. J. Gwyn Jeffreys, F.B.S , at Glasgow in 1876 ; myself at Sheffield in 1879, 
Swansea in 1880, York in 1881, Birmingham in 1886, and Bath in 1888 ; Mr. 
Fordham at Southampton in 1882, Southport in 1883, and Manchester in 1887 ; 
and Professor T. Bupert Jones, F.B.S., at Montreal in 1884. The meeting at 
which our Society was not represented was that at Plymouth in 1877. 
