168
REPORT OF THE CLUBS DELEGATE AT THE
CORRESPONDING SOCIETIES' COMMITTEE,
BRITISH ASSOCIATION, DUBLIN, 1908.
By Prof. E. G, COKER, M.A., D.Sc., F.R.S.E.
[Read November 28, 1908.]
DURING the September meeting of the British Association
at Dublin, the delegates of corresponding Societies held
two conferences at University College, Stephen's Green. The
Chairman, Professor H. A. Miers, F.R.S., took as the subject of
his opening address "The Educational Opportunities of Local
Scientific Societies."
[Prof. Coker here gave an abstract of the paper, but Prof.
Miers' remarks are so valuable and suggestive of future work by
the Club that we print the address in full below.—Ed.]
A hearty vote of thanks for the Chairman's excellent address
was unanimously passed by the delegates, and Mrs. Mary
Hobson (Belfast) then read a paper on "Sanctuaries for our
Native Flora and Fauna," which called attention to the ruthless
destruction caused by the collecting mania of so-called scientific
people, and the need of sanctuaries for the preservation of
species which are otherwise likely to become extinct.
At the second meeting on September 8th Professor
Grenville Cole presided, and Professor G. H. Carpenter, of
Dublin, introduced the subject of "Detailed Natural History
Surveys of Restricted Areas" and gave an account of work
which has been carried out at Lambay and North Bull.
Mr. Henry Davey, of the Brighton and Hove Natural
History and Philosophical Society, also read a paper on "The
Advisableness of Re-stocking Haunts whence Fauna and Flora
have disappeared."
He described in considerable detail cases in which changed
conditions had resulted in the extinction of many species of
butterflies and moths, and he also gave an account of some
observations of the causes which led to a change of the
distribution of species in space and time and their application to
the question of re-stocking.
It is interesting to note that Professor Meldola dealt very
fully with this question in his annual address to the Essex Field
Club in 1881.
After a discussion on this paper the conference closed with a
vote of thanks to Professor Cole, the Vice-chairman.