247 



It is with a sense of real regret that I have to announce to the Club 

 the desire expressed by JNIr. Lucy to retire from the office, which for the 

 past three years he has discharged so eminently to our advantage as the 

 Honorary Secretary of the Club, the duties connected wherewith have 

 become mox'e burthensome upon his time than his leisure would permit. 

 Personally I feel under the greatest obligation to him for his assistance 

 and support, which have rendered my labours light indeed. By the Club 

 generally, his retirement will be felt as a loss well nigh irreparable. 

 Where amongst us can we find one endowed with so many fitting quali- 

 fications for the post? — pi-esenting, as he does, a rare union of tact, 

 discretion, and gentlemanly courtesy, combined with a catholic love and 

 competent knowledge of Natural Science; and habits of method and 

 order which he has brought to bear with such admirable results ujjon the 

 business of the Club. Mr. Lucy has kindly consented to discharge, 

 temporarily, the duties of Secretary pending the appointment of his 

 successor, to whom he tenders his valuable advice and assistance. In the 

 meantime, I desire to commend the selection of a gentleman ^to fill the 

 vacant post, to the careful consideration of tlie Club, whose interests are 

 vitally concerned in the appointment. 



I proceed now to give an account of the proceedings at the different 

 field-meets held during the past season. 



The annual meeting of the Club took place on Wednesday, 9th March, 

 at the Queen's Hotel, Cheltenham, at which the usual business was 

 transacted, the accounts audited and passed, and the officers for the 

 ensuing year elected, when you were pleased to testify your confidence 

 in myself and Mr. Lucy by again choosing us to fill the posts of President 

 and Secretary respectively. 



The very unfavorable condition of the weather prevented any distant 

 excursion ; but in spite of the snow, which fell without intermission 

 during the afternoon, several members of the Club visited the newly- 

 established library in Clarence Street, in which an assemblage of 4:,000 

 volumes of well-selected works in science and general literature does 

 infinite credit to the energy of our colleague, Major Barxard, by whose 

 active agency this useful establishment has been organised and arranged. 



The members dined together at the Queen's Hotel. After dinner the 

 President read his annual address. An interesting paper was then read 

 by Mr. Witchell upon the very remarkable deposit containing worked 

 flints and other evidences of man's presence, which were found associated 

 with land and freshwater shells in the excavations for a reservoir oq the 

 summit of a hill above Stroud, in a bed which has now obtained notoriety 



