THE ADDRESS 



Of the retiring President, R. W. Banks, Esq., read 

 before the Members of the Woolhope Naturalists' 

 Field Club, at their Annual :Meeting, held in 

 Hereford, on Thursday, Februaiy 7th, 1861. 



Gentlemen,— On retiring from the office of President, it becomes 

 my duty to present to you a summary of the proceedings of the 

 Club during the past year, and to offer such suggestions as will, in 

 my opinion, best promote the objects -which it has in view. I enter 

 upon tbe subject with a feeling of diffidence, as my remarks are 

 founled more on the discoveries and observations of othei-s, than of 

 myself, and I must therefore request your indulgence for any errors 

 into which I may faU, and for the want of anything novel in my 

 address. 



The addresses of preceding Presidents have in many respects 

 anticipated the remarks which I might have made, and have some- 

 what circumscribed the field over which I have to travel. I shall 

 however, endeavour, as far as I am able, to avoid a repetition of 

 their views and suggestions, merely calling your attention to them 

 as I proceed. 



We must deem it a fortunate circumstance, that during an 

 unusually wet season, we were able to hold our Field Meetings on 

 the days originally fixed, and to enjoy on each of those days, 

 uninterrupted fine weather. 



