COMMITTEE OF BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 175
matter was referred by the Council to a Committee consisting
of the President, the President-elect, and the General Officers of
the Association, together with Professor Armstrong, F.R.S.,
Professor Meldola, F.R.S., and Professor Perry, F.R.S. This
influential Committee reported in due course, and as their
report contains some valuable suggestions of much interest to
local Societies it seems desirable to quote from it rather fully:—
" The Committee have considered the communication from the Corresponding
Societies Committee referred to them by the Council, and have examined into
the general character of the work carried on by the Corresponding Societies, and
the nature of the subjects discussed at the Conferences of Delegates held
annually under the auspices of the British Association since the year 1885. They
are of opinion that the range of subjects very fairly covers most of the branches
of scientific investigation in which local Societies might be expected to bear a
a part. New subjects are added from time to time, and means have been taken
by the Corresponding Societies Committee to give publicity to suggestions for
any suitable line of investigation instigated by the Corresponding Societies
themselves. Of the numerous branches of inquiry being carried on by British
Association Committees in which the Corresponding Societies are invited year by
year to take a part, some have been materially assisted by the Corresponding
Societies or their individual members. The subjects suitable for investigation by
local Societies are necessarily governed in their scope by local conditions, but
among those already brought under the notice of the Corresponding Societies
there are some of a general character which might very well be taken up
systematically all over the country. The Committee do not consider it
necessary to furnish the Council with a complete list of such specific subjects, as
these are already included in the various Reports of the Corresponding Societies
Committee. They desire, however, to call the attention of the Council to the
necessity for systematic co-operation among the local Societies for the carrying
out of investigations of such general importance as the various surveys, archaeo-
logical, ethnographic, photographic, and botanical, which have on several
occasions been brought under the notice of the Corresponding Societies at the
Conference of their Delegates. These and other investigations of a similarly
wide range which may from time to time be suggested furnish ample work for the
Corresponding Societies, and the Committee find that in certain districts
considerable progress has been already made, or that steps are now being taken
to organise the work already suggested."
After certain suggestions with reference to the work of the
Sectional and Organising Committees of the Association, the
Report proceeds as follows:—
" In view of the increasing importance of science to the nation at large, your
Committee desire to call the attention of the Council to the fact that in the
Corresponding Societies the British Association has gathered in the various
centres represented by these Societies practically all the scientific activity of the
provinces. The number of Members and Associates at present on the list
of the Corresponding Societies approaches 25,000, and no organisation is in