ANNUAL CONGRESS OR CONFERENCE. 367
scopical Club, said that some of the papers which he had listened to there
had made him compare himself to a recruiting sergeant, and inspired him
with a feeling that he should much like to give the shilling, and, putting his
hands upon the readers, to say, 'Your business is in the army of Science.'
But, however good the work of individuals and of local Societies might be,
the result of much of it has been lost, owing to want of organization and lack
of united effort between kindred bodies. There was on the other hand, the
danger of labouring in fields already well worked ; and, on the other, that new
facts or important conclusions might be buried in the journals of comparatively
unimportant societies."
After referring to the excellent work of the Norfolk and
Norwich Society, the writer continued—
"In the task of bird-protection the other two counties are honourably
associated—Suffolk, of course, the more closely, from its position. Essex has
also done good work, and few people are strangers to the increase of bird-life—
indeed, of wild life in general—in Epping Forest. The Museums of Ipswich
and Colchester, though they cannot compare with that at Norwich, are not to
be spoken of slightingly, while that of the Essex Field Club at Chingford has
received praise from Sir William Flower.
"No one can say what will be the result of the contemplated federation
[the writer is alluding to the meeting now under consideration], supposing
that object to be effected. It is to be hoped, however, that it will be some-
thing practical; and not a few naturalists would be prepossessed in favour of
a zoological station. Proposals for such an institution, already laid before
the Norwich Society, have been favourably spoken of in these columns; and
joint action with respect to this project might have important results not only
from a scientific, but from an economic point of view. * * * * *
"District meetings would be a distinct gain, as would a single publication
for recording the work done by the members; but the establishment of a
permanent zoological station would give better practical results. Not only
would such an institution be of incalculable service to the fishing population
of East Anglia, but it would also afford opportunities for the scientific investi-
gation of many vexed questions in regard to the life of aquatic organisms,
fresh-water and marine. Even if no result so definite and immediate should
accrue from the present movement, there is no doubt that it is in itself a good
thing, and good must follow therefrom. There will be concentration in place
of waste of energy: investigation will be directed into right channels, and the
help of trained specialists will be at the service of enthusiastic but untrained
workers. Therefore every such federation is to be welcomed as a step forward
in the path of the organization of voluntary scientific work. Example is more
potent than precept; and it should not be long before the United Kingdom is
parcelled out into groups, each represented by a federation of all its Scientific
Societies."
In the Speaker of July 30th a spirited and convincing
article on the meeting at Witham on the previous Saturday was
given, under the title of "A New 'East Anglia.'" The article
most strongly supported the proposal, and particular stress was