THE ADDRESS 



Of the retiring President, G.P.Bevan, Esq., M.D.,F.G.S., 

 read in his absence before the Members of the 

 WooLHOPE Naturalists' Field Club, at their 

 Annual Meeting, held in Hereford, on Tuesday, 

 January 25th, 1859, by the Chairman, The Rev. 

 J. F. Crouch. 



Gentlemen of the "Woolhope Club, 



The time has arrived -when in accordance with tlie rules of our 

 Society, I give up the reins of office to a ncAV and -worthier successor, 

 and I do so the more gladly as I feel on looking back at the past 

 year, that I have ill performed those duties which devolved upon 

 me on undertaking the honourable post to which your kindness 

 elected me. Whatever may have been my shortcomings as Presi- 

 dent of this Club, I can assure you that in ardent love for the 

 science of Natural History, and particidarly in interest for the 

 welfare of our body, I yield to none. My chief difficulties during 

 the past year have been, first, an accession of work to which I did 

 not at all look forward at the commencement of the year, and 

 secondly, the great distance at which I reside from our head quar- 

 ters, and indeed from the whole district which is the scene of our 

 labours. The very earth itseK has conspired against me in 

 -this matter, for although a AVelshman, I am not so good a Silurian 

 as I ought to be ; and living amongst coal measures, I have been 

 obliged, and I must say, not very unwillingly, to devote my princi- 

 pal attention to that interesting formation. In almost every science 

 each man has his speciality, and in geology, more particularly^, a 



