Lady Fellows.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXV, Issue 13, 30 September 1905, Page 59

Lady Fellows.

LINNEAN SOCIETY’S EXAMPLE.

Linneaus, immersed in his studies, may have dimly imagined that perhaps a learned society would be founded in his name, but he could never have dreamed that ladies would be admitted to its membership ( says a London paper). Yet this is the position, with the Linnean Society, which is in the forefront of learned associations, and holds the imeprishable record that on the same night both Darwin’s and Russel Wallace’s papers on the origin of species were read before its members. It is probably the first of the truly learned societies which has disregarded sex. Ladies are now admitted as Fellows, and there is no post in the society from which they are debarred. It is not. however, any reason for wonder that women should l>e admitted to full membership of learned societies. Their achievements in the arena of science have been such as fully to justify their claim to rank in it equally with men. The most noted name of rent years has been that of Madame Curie, associated with her husband in the discovery of radium and its properties. Then may reference l>e made to the observations of Miss Ormerod in agricultural entomology; to Miss Agnes Clerke. who has achieved the distinction of being an honorary member of the Royal Astronomical Society; to Lady Huggins, who has assisted her distinguished husband in his study of the study of the heavens; to Mrs. Maunder, in a like capacity; to Mrs. Ayrton, the only woman members of the Institution of Elec-

trical Engineers. The Linnean Society has honoured itself in the ladies whom it has admitted to Fellowship. They number 26. The Duehess of Bedford is well known for her participation in the zoological studies of her husband; Dr. Margaret Benson for biological research; Mrs. Catherine Crisp is the wife of th? treasurer of the Linnean; Miss Embleton studies insect morphology; Mrs. Grace Franklin eo-operates with her husband in the study of bacteriology; Mrs. Ogilvie Gordon is Doctor of Philosophy at Munich; Miss Gulielma Lister has assisted her father in his observation of mycetozoa; Miss Ethel Sargant’s useful work in botany is well known; Mrs. Sladen shows her interest by devoting £20,000 to found a trust in memory of her busband, Mr. Percy Sladen, formerly secretary of the society (to assist travellers studying zoological science) ; Miss Annie Smith is distinguished for knowledge of fungi; Miss Turner, for ornithology ; Mrs. Veley, for study of amoebae; Miss Noel is now in Siam on a plucky expedition to collect rare plants; Miss Gibbs is a student at the Royal College of Science; Mrs. Scott has not. only published many works on photography, but has ingeniously adapted the cinematograph to give a quarter-hourly representation of the life of a flower; Miss D. Pertz has published botanical papers; Miss Saunders is teacher of botany at Newnham; and Lady Busk, Mrs. Maude Muff, Miss L. J. Clarke, Miss Fraser, Miss Berridge, Miss Latham, Mrs. Stebbing, and Miss Marion Silver have each their own distinctions.

At a banquet given to the new Lady Fellows at Princes’ Galleries, the chairman, Mr. Frank Crisp, treasurer, of the Linnean, told the tale of the ladies’ victory. which was much appreciated by tike distinguished gathering. Fifteen years ago no monastery in Europe held its doors more tightly closed against women than did the Linnean Society. But then it was decided that if ladles were conducted into the m«?ting-room when their papers were read, and were conducted out as soon as the discussion was over, justice would be done. (Laughter.) Then it was conceded that ladies might bring their friends; and so it went on. until Mi'+ Farquharaon presented a memorial that ladies should be permitted to Fellowship. Three hundred and one voted for. and 126 against, and th.? ladies triumphed. But there was an early trouble. A by-law was passed that matinee hats should not be worn by lady Fellows of the society. (Laughter.) But the by-law nearly came to grief, for the reason that "natinee hat” was not a scientific term, and any lady could manoeuvre headgear of Gainsborough dimensions through the description. An ingenious memlier suggested

the following by-law, which was adopted: “No member shall interfere with the comfort or convenience of any other member at the nuv?tings of the society.’ ( Laughter). May the Linnran Society’s liberalminded example i>e followed by many other learned bodies’ O O O O O “There's just two tilings that break up most happy homes,” observed the Pohick philosopher. “What’s them?” inquired the Squedunk ignoramus. “Woman’s love for dry goods -an' man’s love for wet goods, b'gosb! Mrs Haswell: I'd like to see somr of your rugs. Salesman: Yes, ma'am. What ki.al? Mrs Gaswell: Something oriental. I guess. 1 want it i‘or our east room. Mother: Don’t you dare use such language! I'm ashamed o' you! Bright Boy: Why, ma, Kipling uses it, ami he’s “He does? Then don't you ever play with him no more!”