NOTES ON THE CONFERENCE OF DELEGATES. 239
The sub-committee, consisting of Mr. G. Abbott, Mr. Montagu
Browne, Prof. Johnson, the Rev. E. P. Knubley, Mr. Hindmarsh,
Mr. W. W. Watts, the Rev. T. R. P. Stebbing, and Mr. O. W.
Jeffs, agreed to certain resolutions which may be thus summarised :
That Mr. Abbott's paper be distributed amongst all the Natural
History Societies in the Kingdom. That the formation of District
Unions is highly desirable. That the Corresponding Societies
Committee be requested to take steps to encourage District Unions.
And that it is to be understood that the formation of a Union shall
not prevent the recognition of individual Societies composing it as
Corresponding Societies of the British Association.
At the second meeting of the Conference the resolutions of the
sub-committee were considered, and after some discussion received
and adopted.
The Essex Field Club appears to be in a position somewhat like
that of the Berwickshire Club. We have a large county as a sphere
of work, and no other field clubs with which we could amalgamate
with advantage. The South-Eastern Union includes only counties
south of the Thames with the exception of Middlesex. On looking
at the list of Corresponding Societies, I find five belonging to the
counties included by the South-Eastern Union, those of Rent,
Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, and Middlesex. If on the other hand I
turn to Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, I see that the Essex Field Club
and the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists' Society, are the only
Corresponding Societies in the Eastern Counties, no Suffolk society
appearing on the list. Some small local societies doubtless exist in
Suffolk, but they would probably feel more disposed to join a
Norwich than an Essex society which, like our own, is specially
connected with the south-west corner of Essex, and has but few
members in the parts lying near the borders of Suffolk.
The chief subject discussed at the second meeting of the Con-
ference was a short paper by Professor Flinders Petrie, which is
here given in full.2
ON A FEDERAL STAFF FOR LOCAL MUSEUMS.
By W. M. Flinders Petrie.
The present suggestions only affect a distribution of labour, and will rather
economise than require extra expenditure.
2 We have printed Prof. Petrie's paper in full, inasmuch as Mr. Holmes included it in his
report, but we think that very grave objections to the plan will occur to many who have con-
sidered the question of Local Museums, and their true objects. We shall take an early oppor-
tunity of stating these objections.—Ed.