president's address. 199 



many new species discovered by himself. The ornithologists were 

 also rewarded by seeing many stately herons and other waders on 

 this little disturbed coast, which was well peopled with water- 

 fowl. After visiting the gigantic remains of a sperm-whale in 

 the grounds of C. J. W. Cresswell, Esq., who also politely 

 opened his greenhouses to the party, they explored the mouth 

 of the little river Line, where a number of water-plants were 

 gathered, such as Scwpus maritimus^ Ruppia maritima, Salsola 

 kali, Aster tripolmm, Arenaria marina and ruhella, Polygonum, bis- 

 torta, and Cakile maritima. From Newbiggen the party walked 

 to Cambois, where ten sat down to dinner, and two new members 

 were elected. 



With this expedition ended our Field Meetings for the year ; 

 and if we cannot boast of any important discoveries in natural 

 science, as their direct fruits ; yet we may congratulate ourselves 

 on their having, in all respects, answered the purpose with a view 

 to which they were organised. In the first place, I believe never 

 before have our meetings secured such a uniformly large attendance 

 of members. Agreeable and useful acquaintanceships have been 

 formed, or have ripened into friendships, amidst the genial and 

 open discussion of topics of common interest to intelligent and 

 educated men. Information pleasantly obtained has been as 

 pleasantly imparted. The naturalist, the geologist, and the anti- 

 quarian, have met on common ground, without the trammels of 

 formal ceremony, have corrected each other's ideas, and spurred 

 each other's zeal. Study in nature's field is a generous thing. 

 We have each our different specialities, but each has appreciated 

 others, and enjoyed the fruits of others' studies. The genial folk lore 

 of Mr. Bigge ; the antiquarian studies of Mr. Kell ; the geological 

 learning of Mr. Sopwith; the keen, nature-loving eye of Mr. 

 John Hancock ; the erudite comparative anatomy of Dr. Emble- 

 ton ; the patient research of Mr. Howse ; the microscopical inves- 

 tigations of Messrs Brady and Donkin ; the wonderful scientific 

 discoveries of Mr. Albany Hancock ; the labours of many others 

 I might name; and above all, the indefatigable energy of our 

 secretary, Mr. Mennell, binding and holding us all together, and 

 infusing his own enterprise into the whole body ; — of all these we 



VOL. IV. PT. III. 2 A 



