But the paper which shows the deepest historical research is undoubtedly 

 tljat upon the history of Deerfold Forest by Dr. Bull, but as that paper is of 

 so great an interest, and is sure to command the attention it deserves, it would 

 be superfluous for me to do more than draw your attention to it, and leave it 

 to speak for itself, as it does most eloquently. 



I must now pass on to notice the elegant and instructive volume which 

 has lately been produced by the pen of the Rev. C. J. Robinson, of Norton 

 Canon. This book supplies a want which must often have been felt by those 

 whose minds were eager for information on historical subjects, and all must be 

 grateful for such a book as the "Castles of Herefordshire," giving as it does 

 ample information in a concise and pleasantly written style, and saving the 

 student in antiquity much laborious research. Let us hope that the reverend 

 gentleman will still further extend his investigations, and that some day we 

 may have a volume entitled perhaps the " Castles of Siluria." 



Having now briefly passed in review some of tlie principal work done by 

 this Society during the past year, let me, in a few words, make one or two 

 remarks on what we should aim at for the future. 



Some have expressed their fears to me that if we went on at our present 

 pace we should soon have worked up all the available natural history material 

 of the neighbourhood ; such fears, I must say, do not appear to have any founda- 

 tion in fact or ia Nature, for I feel persuaded that those who have gone deepest 

 into the secrets of Nature amongst us, will be those who perceive the clearest 

 how much there is still left for them to learn. I would now venture to propose 

 that some of the various subjects embraced by our Society should be dealt with 

 in a more systematic manner than heretofore, and that certain competent 

 naturalists among us be asked to get up certain subjects and give the Society, 

 from time to time, papers on these subjects. 



This has been already done with respect to Botany, the Trees of Hereford- 

 shire, and also with Fungology, and to some extent also with Geology. 



The Fauna of the county, however, has received but little attention, 

 and I must confess that it appears to me that a series of papers, being the 

 result of careful research in the various branches of the animal kingdom, from 

 the Mammal down to the Protozoon, would be a subject worthy of the atten- 

 tion of some of our zoological members ; and as we are now able to commence 

 the publication of our Flora, I see no reason why we should not publish our 

 Fauna. After such papers as Dr. Chapman, Jlr. Armitage, Mr. Ley, Mi-. Blight, 

 and Mr. Lloyd have given to this Society, there can be no doubt, I think, of the 

 possibility of having the Fauna of the county worked up systematically, and 

 there are many branches in Zoology, as, for instance, the fresh-water Crustacea, 

 the terrestrial Jlollusca, and many others which have received but little atten- 

 tion, to say nothing of the many others which have, no doubt, received soivio 

 notice, but could very well do with a great deal more. 



