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investigation, from the “ Upper Llandovery” beds at May Hill, to 
the Coral Rag and Oxford Clay in the neighbourhood of Fairford, 
illustrated throughout, in many parts profusely, by a series of 
fossil organisms, whose numbers and variety seem to increase the 
more the containing beds are examined—looking, I repeat, to 
all these circumstances, we cannot feel surprise that so many 
labourers should be attracted into such an absorbing and exciting 
field of investigation, and that so few, comparatively speaking, of 
our number should devote themselves to those other branches of 
Natural Science, the study of which, though perhaps yielding 
results less specious, yet forms the foundation of all sound 
geological learning, and offers to those who will dedicate them- 
selves to the work, prizes at least as great, results quite as 
important, as those which have conferred distinction upon so 
many Naturalists from the days of Aristotle to the present time. 
A consideration of the foregoing circumstances, and of the. 
extreme desirability of extending the range of subjects of which 
the Club takes cognisance, induces me, whilst urging the increase 
of our numbers, to endeavour to establish among us Sections 
for the more especial study of Zoology and Botany, by whose 
accumulated labours we might hope gradually to amass a fund of 
materials, out of which a complete Natural History of the County 
might one day be elaborated. Such an aim seems to mea noble 
and a useful one, and one to which the Cotteswold Club may 
worthily apply itself. 
The Botany of the County has found an able expositor in our 
colleague, Professor Buckman, who, sixteen years ago, published 
a little Handbook to the Botany of the environs of Cheltenham, 
which, as the first attempt to tabulate the plants of an interesting 
historical district, is of great value, and contains, within a 
limited compass, principles of arrangement capable of being 
adapted to the illustration of the Botany of the entire County. 
This is a study which should recommend itself especially to our 
Lady friends, whose co-operation I would earnestly solicit. It 
would afford them never-failing interest and pleasing occupation, 
while, as fellow-labourers with ourselves in the field of local 
science, they might greatly aid in carrying out the objects we 
have in view. 
The Club numbers amongst its members two or three 
Entomologists, to whom we may look for good work among the 
Insects. I have already recorded upon the face of our proceed- 
ings the occurrence of the rare beetle Platyrhinus latirostris, to 
which I desire to add a few more Coleoptara worthy of notice 
which have come under my own observation. 
Chrysomela distinguenda—Taken in a great Oolite Quarry, 
near Sherborne, in this County. 
Anobium pertinax—Taken under the bark of a pollard willow 
in March. 
