Proceedings. xxv 



autumnal beauty. A largo variety of Fungi were gathered. 

 Superb masses of the handsome scarlet Agancits mmcamis were 

 especially admired. 



In addition to the ordinary field meetings, several photo- 

 graphic excursions have taken place, at which a large number of 

 excellent views have been taken, and those who have had less 

 experience and practice have been able to profit by the advice 

 and assistance of more experienced members. 



The Photographic Committee especially desire the members of 

 the Club to bring to their notice any objects of special interest 

 worth recording in photographic form, — fine trees, geological 

 sections, and the like, — and they will endeavour to make an 

 early visit to them with their cameras. 



This closed the year's campaign, and if they have not added 

 greatly to our knowledge of the natural features and productions 

 of the district, our excursions have been thoroughly enjoyed by 

 those who took part in them. They have on the whole been 

 fairly attended, though in this respect there is doubtless room for 

 improvement, and there would seem to be something lacking in 

 our arrangements to account for the comparatively small pro- 

 portion of our members who take part in them. Whether more 

 complete and detailed arrangements for leading and guiding the 

 party and for its commissariat would help us, experience only 

 could show. On some occasions this has been ably done for us 

 by Mr. Topley and others, to whom the Club is much indebted. 

 On other occasions I fear it has been lacking, for which your 

 President must take his full share of blame. 



Clubs like the Tyneside, the Woolhope, and others whose 

 excursions or field meetings are their most important gatherings, 

 have a great advantage over ours in having a large country as 

 well as town membership, including the county clergy, gentry, 

 &c., so that wherever they go they are pretty sure to find 

 resident members, well acquainted with all the local features 

 and objects of interest, and not only willing to lead the party for 

 the day, but to take some pains beforehand to plan the route and 

 make all the needful arrangements. 



In thus briefly sketching the proceedings of the Club during 

 my year of office, it only remains for me to speak of the Soiree. 



We are so accustomed to success on this occasion, that it 

 seems almost superfluous to record our sixteenth success in 

 1885 ; but when so many Clubs round London have from one 

 cause or other had to abandon their annual soirees, we may well 

 congratulate ourselves on this continued success. The attend- 

 ance was slightly larger than on any previous occasion, mounting 

 up to 893. 



We had 157 exhibitors in various departments, with 137 

 microscopes. Amongst these were members of eleven Clubs 



