176 
Annual Address to the Cotteswold Naturalists’ Field Club, read by 
W. V. Gutsz, F.L.S., F.G.S , President. 
Reap Frsrvuary 23, 1860. 
GentLEmMEN,—In compliance with the custom of the Club it becomes 
my duty to lay before you an outline of the general working of our 
Society, and of the progress of Science in connexion with it, during 
the past season. In doing so, E am happy to have it in my power 
to congratulate you upon the results. It is true that I cannot point 
to many written papers as evidence of our activity; yet, im proof 
that we have not been idle, the records of our meetings will shew a 
goodly array of facts established, and of doubts resolved, which are 
after all amongst the most valuable results within the reach of local 
contributors to Science. 
In estimating the advantages of such an association as as 
it must be borne in mind that the good which we effect is not limited 
to the registration of facts in connexion with local phenomena, 
essential and important, though such functions undoubtedly are. Our 
gatherings in out-of-the-way nooks and corners; our rambles over 
hill and dale, by pool and stream, in leafy woodland, or on breezy 
down; the free interchange of thought and feeling between con- 
genial minds; all these conditions and circumstances tend to promote 
that love of Nature and of Natural Science, which the Field Clubs 
in especial have done so much to foster and develope. 
The chief danger to be apprehended, perhaps, from the social 
character of our meetings is lest we should degenerate too much 
into the habits of mere ‘‘pic-nickers.” From this risk, however, 
