HERTFORDSHIRE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIEXr. XXlll 



other places ; aud also, in the possible event of a considerable ac- 

 cession of members in the eastern part of the county, the change of 

 name of the Society from the AYatford to the Hertfordshire Natural 

 History Society. 



To this scheme your Secretary at once gave his attention, and, 

 the matter being favoui'ably received by the Council, a revised code 

 of rules was drawn up, and subsequently adopted at a special meet- 

 ing called for the purpose in June, when it was also decided that 

 the new rules sliould date from the 1st of July. The Council 

 requested the originator of this change to act as Honorary Secre- 

 tary pro tern, for East Herts, and in this capacity Mr. Croft has 

 from that time most ably and successfully conducted the affairs of 

 the Society in the eastern part of Hertfordshire. 



The immediate effect of this extension of the Society's scope has 

 been, as already stated, a large increase in the number of members ; 

 and it is still more gratifying to be able to add that the number of 

 workers has also increased. Three of the newly- elected members 

 have read, or promised to read, original papers at the meetings in 

 East Hertfordshire, and the Council has reason to believe that other 

 members there will be able to fill, or nearly to fill, next session's 

 programme. 



The hope that the Society might be a medium for bringing 

 together the microscopists of East Herts has not been falsified. At 

 the opening meeting at the Shire Hall, Hertford, on the 2ud of 

 October, several microscopes were in the room ; and as the season 

 was late and favourable there was a remarkably good display of 

 pond life. The meeting on the 6th of November was principally 

 devoted to microscopic study with special reference to comparisons 

 of high powers, and one practical result of this was the discovery 

 of errors in the denomination of object glasses. 



For the success of these meetings in East Herts, and the increase 

 in the number of members, the Society is indebted to others besides 

 Mr. Croft, who have worked energetically in its interest, and 

 amongst them may be specially mentioned Mr. R. T. Andrews, Mr. 

 Stephen Austin, and Mr. F. W. Phillips. There is one other 

 member of the Society whose services have been of very great 

 benefit. Your President has from the time of his election to the 

 office entered heartily into the affairs of the Society, has been most 

 assiduous in presiding at the meetings on both sides of the county, 

 and has added largely to the list of members. The Society has 

 been most fortunate in having Dr. Gwyn Jeff'reys as its President 

 at the time of its extension from a comparatively local to a county 

 institution. 



