TO 



The IiineolfishiFe Jlataralists' Dnion, 



Delivered at Lincoln, May 24th, 1894, 



BY 



PRESIDENT (1893). 



JVR N rising to address you on this occasion, I am not unmindful 

 Jf of the fact that I have been elected first President of the 

 Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union, and I wish now, in the 

 first place, to thank you for having placed me in so honourable 

 a position. The object of our Society is intended to bring about 

 a thorough and systematic investigation of the Natural History 

 capabilities of the county, carried on j'ear by year, a publication, 

 if possible, from time to time, of the results, and an endeavour 

 to create amongst all classes of the population an intelligent 

 interest and correct appreciation of the various natural phe- 

 nomena which surround them. 



It is somewhat of a reflection on this great county that so 

 little has been done hitherto for the cause of science ; this in- 

 deed, becomes painfully apparent when we consider the excellent 

 results shown by the enterprising naturalists in the two neigh- 

 bouring counties of Norfolk and Yorkshire. In the former, the 

 " Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists' Society " was formed in 

 1870, and published their first report ; the number of members 

 is now 250. The " Yorkshire Naturalists' Union " came into 

 existence previous to 1883, and the number of its members is 

 nearly 600. Both these, like our own, had small beginnings; 

 they have, however, succeeded in extending the knowledge of 

 local Natural History. In looking forward to the future I can 

 see no reason whatever to think that our own Union will not 

 be equally successful, and certainly in this great and diver- 

 sified county it will never either lack material to work on or fall 

 short in variety and interest of subjects. 



