9 
valuable Library, one which is yearly increasing in value, and where 
can be obtained scientific books which cannot be had elsewhere in the 
town. At the time I joined the Society, and, I believe, from its 
commencement, tea and coffee at the close of the meetings formed an 
important part of the programme, but in April, 1874, owing, I believe, 
to some difficulties experienced in the supply, these important adjuncts 
were discontinued. As you are aware they have recently been 
revived ; they certainly give opportunities for friendly chat over the 
evening’s proceedings, but seeing that we nearly all live within ten 
minutes’ walk of our room I am not quite sure that the Society does 
well to incur the expenses incident to this mode of refreshment. 
THe Late Mr. Wownror. 
Nothing of interest occurred during the next few years until we 
come to the year 1878, when by the death of Mr. Wonfor the Society 
suffered the greatest loss it ever sustained. At a meeting of the 
Society held on the 14th November, 1878, the following resolution 
was passed: “The members of the Brighton and Sussex Natural 
History Society desire to record their deep sympathy with and 
sorrow for the Widow and Son of the late Mr. T. W. Wonfor in the 
sad bereavement they have sustained. And also to record their 
feeling of gratitude for and appreciation of the untiring zeal with 
which the late Mr Wonfor worked for the welfare of the Society as 
one of its Honorary Secretaries for so many years, and particularly 
the cheerful readiness with which at all times he assisted each and 
all of the members who sought his aid on scientific subjects.” 
However varied the opinions of men might be as to Mr. Wonfor’s 
scientific abilities there was no difference of opinion whatever as to 
his character. By universal consent he was held to be a most amiable 
and loveable man, one whom it was a great pleasure to possess as a 
friend, and one who dearly loved this Society, and in the interests of 
which much of the energy of his life was spent. To me personally he 
was a great loss. I always found him ready to assist me in my diff- 
culties, and possessing as he did a knowledge of Natural History far 
and away beyond any that I had, I often had recourse to his skill, and 
shall ever feel grateful for the kindly manner in which his assistance 
was always rendered, and I am sure all those members of the Society 
who had the privilege of intercourse with Mr. Wonfor will say that the 
resolution passed by the Society at his death, strongly worded as it is, 
was none too strong for the occasion. On the 13th March, 1879, 
the then President of the Society, Mr Mayall, presented to the Society 
the very fine portrait of Mr Wonfor which now adorns our room, and 
which, by its vivid life-likeness, so often carries the thoughts of many 
of us back to the good old times when he lived and moved amongst 
us. For some years the Microscopical Section flourished, but gradually 
and principally through the loss of the older microscopists it dwindled 
down, until in October, 1880, it was decided to discontinue it. Again 
after a short time, it was revived with renewed energy, but that in 
its turn became exhausted, and in September, 1885, it was again dis- 
continued. Since then another resuscitation has taken place, but the 
life was even shorter, and at the present time we are without a Micro- 
scopic Section. 
