242 NOTES ON THE CONFERENCE OF DELEGATES
Considerable progress had been made since he addressed the
delegates at Ipswich. Dr. Macgregor, for example, had taken many
careful measurements of the natives of Galloway, selecting represen-
tatives of the older families of the district. During the present
century the movements of the population of various parts of the
British Isles had been very great, but in some spots the population
had remained comparatively stationary, and they were the best places
either for taking physical measurements or for noting the dialect and
folk-lore. And it was in such districts that the most valuable
photographs of the inhabitants could be taken. Dr. Macgregor had,
in addition to physical measurements, taken notes of the folk-lore
of Galloway. If there was any section of the work of the committee
of more pressing importance than the rest, it was the collection of
the folk-lore and dialect peculiarities of a district. For while the
physical characteristics of the people of a district might remain
unaltered, the folk-lore and peculiarities of speech might entirely
disappear, owing to the tendencies to uniformity of speech and
beliefs arising from a general system of education, the circulation of
newspapers and books, and the increasing facilities for railway travel.
It was, in addition, most desirable that the historical and the pre-
historic monuments of a district should be carefully noted.
Mr. John Gray (Buchan) gave some account of the way in which
the society he represented had noted the physical characteristics of
both adults and school children in his district. And the Chairman
remarked that, considering the great diversity of the information
required by the Ethnographical Survey Committee, it seemed most
desirable that local societies should form sub-committees, one, for
example, dealing with dialect and folk-lore, another with physical
characteristics, a third with historic and prehistoric monuments, and
so on. Then photographers would be wanted to illustrate both the
people and their monuments, Any society assisting in this work
would not only enrich its own "Transactions," but greatly benefit the
British Association.
Mr. Hartland expressed his readiness to furnish delegates who
might be interested in the matter with copies of the schedules issued
by the Committee, or with any help in his power.
The Conference then came to an end.
T. V. Holmes, Hon. Sec. Corresponding Societies
Committee, and Delegate Essex Field Club.