3d0 PROCEEDINGS OP PROVINCIAL SOCIETIES. 



WARWICKSHIRE NATURAL HISTORY AND ARCH^OLO- 

 GICAL SOCIETY. 



It is with feelings of sincere gratification we announce the for- 

 mation of a Society for the cultivation of the delightful and instruc- 

 tive science of Natural History in this county. A most highly 

 respectable meeting took place at Warwick, on the 24th of May, 

 with the view of completing the arrangements so ably and zealously 

 commenced by the honorary secretaries, Dr Conolly, of Warwick, 

 and Dr. Lloyd, of Leamington. 



The Rev. Sir Henry Dryden, Bart., presided on the occasion, 

 and after reading the resolutions passed at a previous meeting, and 

 congratulating the promoters of the Society on the success of their 

 exertions, proceeded to remark that he considered !the results con- 

 templated by this, and similar institutions, were threefold : — firstly, 

 the general advancement of science ; secondly, the increased inter- 

 course of gentlemen resident in the provincial districts, of congenial 

 pursuits and tastes ; thirdly, the benefit of public example, in excit- 

 ing in the youth and less educated classes of the neighbourhood a 

 desire for knowledge, and stimulating them to turn their attention 

 to those departments of science which it was the object of the Socie- 

 ty to promote. The worthy Baronet next adverted to the number 

 of scientific societies which had been already established in different 

 parts of the kingdom — pointed out, in a very persuasive manner, the 

 pleasure to be derived from the intercourse of residents in the county 

 whose tastes and pursuits were of a kindred nature, and the advan- 

 tages resulting from the encouragement of science, created by 

 the formation of these institutions. The chairman very justly ob- 

 served, the peculiar feature of the present age was, the rapid and 

 general extension of education ; and it was the duty of the higher 

 and more educated classes, not only to assist in promoting that 

 great object, but to give a direction to that appetite for the acquisi- 

 tion of knowledge which now began so widely to prevail, and to fur- 

 ther the particularly increased and increasing amount of know- 

 ledge which existed amongst the inferior classes. Education was 

 now being diffused throughout the land ; and when they compared 

 the present with former ages, he thought those who lived in this cen- 

 tury might congratulate themselves upon the pleasing result which 

 had been attained by their unceasing exertions. 



The Report of the Committee was then read by Dr. Conolly, who 

 next proceeded to allude to the numerous communications he had 

 received from various quarters, containing the strongest assurances 

 of support, and promises of specimens for the Museum from several 

 distinguished Naturalists. 



The attention of the meeting was then called by Dr. Lloyd to the 

 primary object of the Society, which is " to investigate and illus- 

 trate the Natural History of the county of Warwick, and, aided by 



