154 CORRESPONDING SOCIETIES' COMMITTEE.
Plants. As many plants are in serious danger of extermination
by trade-collectors, students of botany, and others, it seems
necessary to appeal to legislation for their protection ; but it
was suggested that before this could be secured, a leaflet might
be distributed among teachers, and, perhaps, a "Reader"
published, explaining the danger to which certain rare plants are
subjected, and pleading for the conservation of objects of natural
beauty and scientific interest. The subject was warmly taken up
by the delegates, and their local influence at field-meetings and
in nature-study classes will probably be of much service.
It is the usual practice at the annual Conference of Delegates
to receive reports from the Committees of the several sections of
the Association, with reference to any local work which might be
usefully undertaken by the Societies. In consequence, however,
of the meeting having been held this year in South Africa, the
sections were not sitting during the London meeting. For this
reason no detailed reports or suggestions were received, but a
few of the secretaries of the sections had sent short letters, one
of which ought to be of some interest to our Club. Dr. H. W.
Marett Tims, of Cambridge, who acted as Secretary of the
Section of Zoology in South Africa, wrote explaining that he
had not been able to communicate with the Sectional Committee,
but on his own responsibility suggested the following subjects as
worthy of local consideration, namely :—
1. A systematic study of the fresh-water Plankton of
East Anglia.
2. A study of the Rotifera of East Anglia.
This suggestion your delegate undertook to bring to the
notice of the Essex Field Club, and if some local naturalists can
be induced to follow it up, the Conference may be indirectly the
means of adding something to our knowledge of East Anglian
zoology.