THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. I5 



" 2. That, as in Middlesex, Sundays should be close-time for taking birds. 



Such a bye-law would not apply in the case of owners and 



occupiers or their authorised agents. 

 " 3. That a date should be fi.xed, after which it would be illegal to take 



plovers' eggs." 



On the whole it may be clainiecl that the efforts made on 

 behalf of out little feathered friends during tlie past year were 

 successful — such disastrous natural effects as the flood of 

 November, 1897, will not, it is to be hoped, recur — and with a 

 little more co-operation on the part of the general public and 

 a little wholesome draconian severity delivered from the Bench, 

 lovers of birds in Essex may become more hopeful of the 

 future. 



THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 



DELIVERED AT THE NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING 



ON MARCH 25th, 1899. 



By DAVID- HOWARD, J.I'., F.C.S., F.I.C. 



"L7F£ PROBLEMS IN MODERN SCIENCE:' 



[Abstract by Mr. Hozcard.] 



Ladies and Gentlemen, 

 rr^^HE most important event which has marked the past 

 1 year of the Essex Field Club has been the pro\ision, 

 through the generosity of Mr. Passmore Edwards (supple- 

 mented by the liberality of the West Ham Borough Council), 

 of a suitable home for the collections of the Club, and 

 arrangements for the permanent maintenance of the Museum. 

 It is no small satisfaction that at last a solution has been 

 arrived at of a question which has caused so much anxiety to 

 the Council and all who have the welfare of the Club at 

 heart, but it must not be forgotten that the acceptance of these 

 provisions entails upon the Club the very serious responsibility 

 of providing for the exhibition of their collections in a manner 

 worthy of their new home. It is earnestly to be hoped that a 

 liberal response will be made to the appeal for funds for this 

 purpose. 



