giving this valuable addition to science to the public for the first time, in the 

 pages of our Transactions. 



I am happy also to be able to state that although we have had no com- 

 municution from our Tree Commissioner this year, yet our volume is to be 

 graced by photographs of some of the noble trees of the county. 



Before I leave this subject I must briefly notice the interesting discussion 

 which took place on Mr. Edwin Lees' theory of the cause of Fan7 Ri»g». 

 Although the learned gentleman failed to convince his audience of the truth ot 

 his Mole theory, and if I remember aright the views of most of the other 

 speakers were against him, yet, we must thank him for bringing forward =o 

 interesting a discussion, and I trast before another year this subject maybe 

 investigated by several of our members, and some definite conclusion arrived at 

 on the matter. 



I feel sure that you will aU join with me in assuring Mr. Lees that the 

 Woolhope Society heartily congratulates him on the weU-earned honour which 

 the Worcester and Malvern Clubs have paid him, and in the hope that he may 

 long Uve to wear his laui-els, to add to the stores of our knowle.lge in his favourite 

 science, and to enjoy, moreover, the unselfish pleasure which it always gives 

 him to encourage the study of Natural History in aU its branches. 



Passin" on to Zoology, we have on this subject several good papers which 

 have been given to the society, and being the branch of natural science in which 

 I feel most interest, I sincerely hope that future years may see it absorb and 

 receive that amount of attention which it deserves. 



Among the Vertebrates, IMr. Armitage and Mr. Clement Ley have favoured 

 us with an esceUent and very comprehensive account of the Rare Birds of 

 Herefordshire. 



There seems to be great scope for the ornithologist in this county, snd 

 •ome day I hope when we have got our Museum estabUshed, we may be able to 

 show a perfect coUection of the Birds of Herefordshire. The curious instinct 

 of the cuckoo was remarked upon in the above mentioned paper, and I think 

 that there can be Uttle doubt of the truth of the supposition that the cuckoo 

 deposits her eggs in the nest by means of her mouth. This idea is confirmed by 

 the smaU f ize of the egg in proportion to the bird's own size, and also by the 

 fact that the cuckoo's egg is often fo»nd in a position too small to allow of the 

 bird having introduced its whole body. In Morris's Bri.ish Birds, I find the 

 notice of a cuckoo shot, which is said to have been carrying its egg in it bilL 



It has also been suggested that it may possibly insert its egg by means of 

 its foot ; the only thing, as far as I know, to uphold this latter idea is the shape 

 of the foot, which has two toes turned forward and two backward, resembHng 

 in this particular scansorial birds ; this kind of foot doubtless would be com- 

 petent to carry an egg, but the principal weight of evidence, I think, incUce. 



