Preface. 
The main objects hoped to be attained by the Eugenics 
Education Society in organising the First International 
Congress of Eugenics were to make more widely known to 
the public the aims of Eugenists and to afford an opportunity 
to those engaged in the scientific study of this question, of 
meeting together and conferring with each other. With this 
object in view, and in order to induce the leading eugenists 
throughout the world to take part in our deliberations, a hope 
was expressed that those interested in these questions in 
various countries would form themselves into Consultative 
Committees in connection with the Congress. The response 
made to this appeal was most gratifying. As soon as these 
Committees were tormed they were requested to nominate a 
strictly limited number of readers of papers for each Country, 
the like service being performed at home by the Organising 
Committee of the Congress. To the writers of these papers, 
as well as to those who have undertaken to take part in the 
discussions, must be attributed whatever beneficial results the 
Congress will produce, and to them we owe a deep debt of 
gratitude, as well as to the Consultative Committees for 
securing their services. 
A sufficient number of communications having been 
promised, it was felt that in order to make them of the 
greatest possible use, the volume containing them should, if 
possible, be made available for members of the Congress 
during its sittings. This result has been obtained, but only 
by means of unremitting and unstinted exertions on the part 
of all concerned. It is hoped that the unavoidable signs of 
haste will not materially impair the utility of this work. 
B