president's address. 41 



labourer, in efforts directed to the advancement of education, 

 and the improvement of mining skill and industry. 



On a review of the present state of, and probable improvements 

 in, the means of studying Natural History, ' it is impossible not 

 to observe many indications of rapid progress, and of greatly 

 increased facilities, by which an accurate knowledge of details 

 may be conveyed to the public. Thus, for example, what is 

 called Nature-Printing, is becoming extensively useful in this 

 direction ; and a work on British Ferns, now in course of pub- 

 lication, is an admirable example of such application, the several 

 varieties of these beautiful plants being shown with life-like 

 accuracy. Photography also bids fair to become a useful aid ; 

 and it would be a great addition to the interest of our excursions, 

 if skilful photographers would accompany our Members, and 

 preserve pictorial records of the chief objects of interest. 



The study of Meteorology is also becoming more general ; and 

 all who are disposed to unite in making accurate observations 

 may, by joining the Meteorological Society of London, obtain pro- 

 perly adjusted instruments at a very moderate cost. In most places 

 exact observations of the weather, rain-fall, &c., may be found 

 of great value. The farmer is especially interested in every 

 reasonable prospective indication of the weather ; and the supply 

 of water to towns, and for engineering purposes, can only be 

 properly estimated by means of careful observations. Several 

 of the mines under my direction are worked by water power ; 

 and I have, for some time past, had exact daily records made of 

 the fall of rain. The variation of rain-fall in Great Britain is 

 considerable, mostly ranging between 25 inches, in the eastern 

 parts of the island, to upwards of 100 inches in the western and 

 mountainous districts. Allenheads occupies nearly a central 

 position, both as regards the length and breadth of the Island of 

 Great Britain, and also in midway elevation between the low 

 plains, which scarcely exceed the sea level, and the extreme 

 mountain summits of Scotland and Wales. It is, therefore, 

 favourably situated for observation ; and as regards the amount 

 of rain-fall, is found to present an average varying from about 

 oO to 70 inches. 



VOL. III. PT. I. F 



