Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 28, 1917.djvu/34

 Freire-Marreco and others represented the Society at the meeting of the British Association in September.

The twenty-seventh volume of Folk-Lore has been issued during the year. Owing to the increased cost of paper and labour, the Council have found it necessary to limit the size of the volume and to dispense with illustrations as far as possible. Nevertheless, they believe that it will be found to maintain its usual high standard of excellence. A deep debt of gratitude is due to Mr, Crooke for the work he has bestowed upon it, notwithstanding his recent bereavements. The Council are glad to have his assurance that he will continue to act as Editor during the coming year.

In the uncertain state of affairs due to the continuance of the war, the Council have been unable to come to any decision as to the issue of an additional volume for either of the years 1915 or 1916. They have recently had offered to them for publication a collection of folk-tales of Formosa made by Mr. S. Ishii, who has spent fifteen years in the island since its acquisition by Japan. This offer they have accepted provisionally. They have not yet decided for which year the folk-tales should be issued as an additional volume.

The work of the Brand Committee is making progress, though not such rapid progress as could be wished, owing to the increasing scarcity of voluntary workers. Additional paid labour will, therefore, be necessary if the work is to be completed within a reasonable period. The Council are fully alive to the importance of the work, which they feel ought to have a very prominent place in the activities of the Society. Miss Burne's services as Secretary to the Committee have been invaluable. The Council, on behalf of the Society, tender her and her co-workers their heartiest thanks.

The sales of the Society's publications have unfortunately fallen off during the year, but that was inevitable in view of the war. The relations of the Council with Messrs.