195 



investigation, from the " Upper Llandovery" beds at May Hill, to 

 the Coral Rag and Oxford Clay iii the Deighbourhood of Fairford, 

 illustrated throughout, in many parts profusely, by a series of 

 fossil organisms, whose numbers and variety seem to increase the 

 more the containing beds are examined looking, I repeat, to 

 all these circumstances, we cannot feel surprise that so many 

 labourers should be attracted into such an absorbing and exciting 

 field of investigation, and that so few, comparatively speaking, of 

 our number should devote themselves to those other branches of 

 Natural Science, the study of which, though perhaps yielding 

 results less specious, yet forms the foundation of all sound 

 geological learning, and offers to those who will dedicate them- 

 selves to the work, prizes at least as great, results quite as 

 important, as those which have conferred distinction upon so 

 many Naturalists from the days of Aristotle to the present time. 



A consideration of the foregoing circumstances, and of 

 extreme desirability of extending the range of subjects of whiclr 

 the Club takes cognisance, induces me, whilst urging the increase 

 of our numbers, to endeavour to establish among us Sections 

 for the more especial study of Zoology and Botany, by whose 

 accumulated labours we might hope gradually to amass a fund of 

 materials, out of which a complete Natural History of the County 

 might one day be elaborated. Such an aim seems to me a noble 

 and a useful one, and one to which the Cotteswold Club may 

 worthily apply itself. 



The Botany of the County has found an able expositor in our 

 colleague, Professor Buckman, who, sixteen years ago, published 

 a little Handbook to the Botany of the environs of Cheltenham, 

 which, as the first attempt to tabulate the plants of an interesting 

 historical district, is of great value, and contains, within a 

 limited compass, principles of arrangement capable of being 

 adapted to the illustration of the Botany of the entire County. 

 This is a study which should recommend itself especially to our 

 Lady friends, whose co-operation I would earnestly solicit. It 

 would afford them never-failing interest and pleasing occupation, 

 while, as fellow-labourers with ourselves in the field of local 

 science, they might greatly aid in carrying out the objects we 

 have in view. 



The Club numbers amongst its members two or three 

 Entomologists, to whom we may look for good work among the 

 Insects. I have already recorded upon the face of our proceed- 

 ings the occurrence of the rare beetle Platyrhinus latirostris, to 

 which I desire to add a few more Coleoptara worthy of notice 

 which have come under my own observation. 



Chrysomela distinguenda Taken in a great Oolite Quarry, 



near Sherborne, in this County. 



Anobium pertinax Taken under the bark of a pollard willow 

 in March. 



