228
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
dum prepared by Professors Salisbury and Weiss has been distri-
buted by thousands throughout the teaching profession. Of
course no one should want to prevent a child picking a handful
of flowers nor to forbid the use of wild flowers for class lessons.
For the latter purpose, however, there should be, wherever
possible, a school garden and the children should collect the
seeds, sow them and study the plant as it grows. Seeds of our
wild plants can also be obtained from the Green Cross Society
and other sources guaranteeing collection without risk of injury
to the native flora.
In conclusion Dr. Rendle said he had tried to show that our
flora merited conservation in the interests of science quite
apart from its beauty and that although he had perhaps been
addressing only the converted, it was the converted who must
become apostles if the movement was to grow and become
effective.
After the President's address a paper by Dr. W. D. Lang,
F.R.S., was read by Sir Albert Kitson dealing with the menace
of rubbish dumping in places of natural beauty. It was pointed
out that since the advent of cheap motor transport the nuisance
had greatly increased. Many old quarries, gravel pits, sea-cliffs,
stream-banks, etc., once covered with interesting vegetation
and full of bird life or showing classical geological sections had
been completely spoiled. In this connection the following
resolution was passed by the Delegates :—
"To request the Council of the British Association to bring
to the notice of the respective Councils for the Preservation of
Rural England, Scotland and Wales the increasing menace to
health and amenity of rubbish dumping in places of natural
beauty and scientific interest : and to request the said Councils
to make representation to the responsible administrative
authorities concerned with a view to its mitigation."
At the second meeting of the Conference Capt. T. Dann-
reuther read a paper by Dr. C. B. Williams and Mrs. K. Grant
on the Insect Immigration Enquiry, with special reference to
the North-Western Area. It appears that there is now definite
evidence that certain well-known species of butterflies and moths
immigrate over a wide area and in a uniform direction. The
observations leading to this conclusion have been conducted by
members of local scientific societies and by lighthouse and