116
VIII.
Local Scientific Societies, and the Minor Pre-historic
Remains of Britain.1
By Raphael Meldola, F.R.A.S., F.C.S., M.A.I., &c.
[Read before the British Association for the Advancement of Science, at
Southport, and (in substance) before the Club, November 24th, 1888].
In the annual address which I had the pleasure of deliver-
ing to the Essex Field Club at the beginning of this year,2
I ventured to put forward a suggestion which I will take the
present opportunity of enlarging upon in the presence of
this gathering of the representatives of so many of the local
societies of this country.
Of the various branches of natural science cultivated by
our respective societies perhaps no subject possesses so wide-
spread an interest as the early history of man. It is only in
recent times that materials have been gathered with anything
like scientific, method from the fragmentary records of the
past. By the methods of modern research these materials
have been co-ordinated into that imperfect sketch of the
physical characters and mode of life of the early inhabitants
of this and other countries which constitutes our present
1 [This paper was prepared by Mr. Meldola, for the Conference of
Delegates from Local Societies, which he attended as representing the Club
and the Braintree and Bocking Natural History Society. We print it
here for the purpose of giving our members a concise exposition of the
considerations which have induced the Council to undertake the task of
cataloguing the Pre-historic remains in Essex. A committee has been
formed, and a considerable amount of preliminary literary research
accomplished. The work will be pushed on vigorously as soon as the
Denehole explorations, now in hand, are completed. Meanwhile the
Secretary will be very glad to receive details of earthworks now existing,
and suggestions as to sources of information, &c, from anyone willing to
help forward the undertaking.—Ed.]
2 'Transactions,' vol. iii., p. 62.