PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 115 
ANNUAL ADDRESS. 
«THe retrospection of the year that is past is once more assigned to myself, 
It is my painful duty to announce that, since our last Annual Meeting, we 
have lost by death a valuable and esteemed member—the late Robert Wheeler, 
Esq. He was present with us last year, and took a lively interest in the pro- 
ceedings on that occasion. His character and worth is too well known to 
you all to require anything like a eulogium from me; I should not, however, 
be doing justice to the Society, or to the esteemed and honoured memory of 
our departed friend, without this passing notice. 
“T think weshayve reason to congratulate ourselves upon the present con- 
dition and future prospects of our Society. Our numbers have increased 
beyond our most sanguine expectations ; and, as it is not unreasonable to con- 
clude, that, when any join a Natural History Society, they have already a 
taste for natural science, or are desirous of possessing and cultivating that taste, 
from the increase of numbers may we not augur well for the future? Our 
Evening Meetings have been well, and, in some cases, numerously, attended. 
If we may judge from what we have scen and heard, an interest has been 
awakened, and on some occasions much scientific gratification has been ex- 
perienced. At these reunions the members have used the privilege, to which 
they are entitled, of introducing friends. Many of those who came as visitors 
have enrolled themselves as members. We welcome all who can sympathise 
with us in our appreciation of the wonderful works of God. Many and 
yaried branches of natural science have engaged our attention during the last 
Winter Session. Sometimes these subjects have been broached in general 
conversation, sometimes in the shape of colloquial addresses, and sometimes 
in the more set form of written papers. Four of these papers were intended 
to illustrate Geological science. Our late Secretary, Mr. Ullyett, sent us a 
communication on the Mammalia of our neighbourhood, which elicited much 
interesting conversation, as well as important information from the members 
present. We haye had four papers on that very fascinating branch of natural 
science—Botany. One was written by our Secretary, on the Phanerogamic 
_ Plants of our neighbourhood. One was sent us from a gentleman at a dis- 
_ tance, on the Cryptogamia—the Agarics—called in popular language, Toad- 
stools. It is not a very attractive name, but the writer of the paper most 
logically proved that a vulgar prejudice has hitherto prevented a most valu- 
able gastronymic gratification. Two other botanical papers treated of thuse 
most beautiful, and to those who are acquainted with them, most interesting 
_ objects—the Desmids and Diatoms. An extremely interesting and very 
_ scientific paper was forwarded to us by Robert Holland, Esq., of Mobberley, 
Cheshire, ‘‘On some Resemblances between Plants and Animals.’’ The writer 
set forth some very striking analogies existing between these two great 
provinces of the natural kingdom: Mr. Marshall fayoured us with a very 
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