373 



oolho^t jaatnraltsts^ JFielb Club 



THE ADDRESS 



Of the retiring President, Elmes Y. Steele. Esq., read at the Annual Meeting 

 of the Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club, held at Hereford, February 22nd, 

 1866. 



Gentlemen of the Woolhope Club, 



I return vou my sincere thanks for the honour you have done me m appoint- 

 ing me your President for the past year, and for the courtesy and kindness you 

 have shovv-n me, as well as for the mdulgence you have so freely extended to my 

 ineffidentperfo;mance of the duties of that office. Seeing that I cannot ay 

 claun to more than a very superficial acquaintance with the sciences we cu^t.vate 

 I feel that your considerate and very flattering treatment is solely attributable 

 to your kindlv feeling towards a fellow-student, who was thought to take a 

 sincere interest in the welfare of the Club, and to be disposed to promote the 

 success of its operations to the best of his ability. 



On reviewing the past season I thmk I may, upon the whole, congratulate 

 you on the success of our field days. We had the benefit of a Summer remark- 

 able for its almost unprecedented number of fine days, and, although on two 

 occasions our perambulations were somewhat impeded by heavy showers of ram, 

 we had not one absolutely bad day, and our energies proved equal to every 



occasion. 



Our First Meeting on the 19th May, at Builth, was a remarkably successful 

 one and was graced bv a considerable phalanx of members and friends. Ihe 

 District into which we travelled opened up new ground, and that circumstance 

 of itself would account for much of the interest we derived from it ; but we were 

 highly favoured in all other respects. The Rev. Jones Thomas kindly met us at 

 the Three Cocks Junction, and throughout the day exerted himself m doing 

 honour to the Club, in a manner so courteous and genial, as to deserve a grateful 

 recognition of his kind services. He undertook the duty of leader, on the march, 

 and nothing could exceed the care he bestowed in pomting out the many scenes 

 and objects of interest to be met with, in the well selected line chosen by him 

 for our excursion. In the name of the Club I had the pleasure to present tohmi 

 the cordial thanks due to his kind and hospitable exertions. We were also 

 favoured with the company of several local Geologists, who have done excellent 

 work in the surrounding district ; under their guidance some interestmg fossils 

 were obtained, amongst them the following :— 



