{g',^'1 Field Naturalists' Club — Proceedings. 39 



The membership now amounts to 210, and comprises 

 2 life members. (> honorary, 145 ordinary, 5 ; country, and 

 4 associates. 



" That the loss disclosed by the foregoing analysis is a 

 serious one cannot be denied, but, in view of the palpable 

 effects of the two adverse factors previously adverted to, our 

 position might be infinitely worse. As times mend, the Club 

 can confidently look forward to fresh accessions to its ranks 

 from the large rising generation of naturalists, among whom 

 will be found man}' eager and willing to promote and carry on 

 the good work so well and faithfully conducted for many years 

 by the majority of those present. 



" In conformity with the custom of their predecessors, the 

 committee arranged a varied programme of excursions for the 

 year 1914-15. That their efforts were duly appreciated by 

 members was evidenced by the large attendance at the various 

 outings. By reason of closer settlement and consequent 

 cultivation, each succeeding committee experiences increasing 

 difficulty in selecting suitable localities for the Club's Saturday 

 afternoon excursions. This difficulty is becoming more accen- 

 tuated each year, and it would seem that the time is not far 

 distant when these will be the exception rather than the rule. 

 In the April and May issues of the Naturalist an appeal was made 

 to members for suggestions respecting new and suitable locali- 

 ties for excursions ; but the response was so meagre as to 

 hardly compensate for the time expended in inditing it. 



" Of the four extended excursions arranged, two — Baw Baw 

 (28th November to 3rd December) and French Island (1st to 

 5th April) — had to be abandoned owing to insufficient response 

 on the part of members. The National Park, Wilson's Promon- 

 tory, was again selected for the Christmas camp-out (26th 

 December to 2nd January). Under the able leadership of Mr. 

 J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S., who considered neither time nor in- 

 convenience when the comfort or the enjoyment of those par- 

 ticipating was concerned, the outing proved as interesting and 

 instructive as the previous ones. From a permanent camp 

 on the Tidal River, the party of twelve visited many of the 

 most accessible beauty spots in the neighbourhood. A report 

 of the trip, illustrated by a number of lantern slides, was given 

 by the leader at the January meeting, and was highly appreci- 

 ated. To mark their recognition of the efforts of the Com- 

 mittee of Management of the National Park to cater for the 

 convenience and comforl of visitors out of the small sum oi 

 money at their command, the visiting naturalists contributed 

 five shillings each towards the better domestic e<|uipmen1 of 

 the rest houses, and it is pleasing to record thai the example 

 thus set has been productive of similar donations from other 

 sources. 



