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the object determined — keeping duplicates ourselves, so that 

 there may be no doubt in the minds of people at a distance as to 

 what object we are writing or speaking about when we have 

 occasion to refer to it. If we do this we shall be doing good work ar d 

 inthisway we shall not only gain knowledge for ourselves, but be able 

 to transmit to others our knowledge and to place that knowledge 

 indelibly on record, so that when our term of life is done, our 

 little unit of learning gained in the entrancing study of the 

 Great Book of Natui'e, may not go down to the grave with us, 

 but be treasured up for the instruction and healthful amusement 

 of those who come after us. But above all things let us be 

 accurate and careful in our observations, and remember as I said 

 last year, "dates, descriptions, locality mode of living &c., are 

 essential in the biology of insect and animal life." There should 

 be no trusting to memory, let everything be carefully noted at the 

 time. Then there is another point which I wish to impress upon 

 you and that is systematic work. Nature is so entrancingly 

 interesting that we ax-e all of us tempted to run hither 

 and thither, to examine and make notes of this animal, that bird, 

 this insect and that insect, this or that order of plants, and in 

 the end we may gain a fair general knowledge — but, nothing 

 more. To do real lasting enduring work it is best that each one 

 should confine himself, for a time at least, to the study of some 

 particular order and to make a point of finding out all he can 

 about the individual groups which compose that order — on what 

 they feed, their habits generally, their care or otherwise for their 

 young, their enemies and so on. In this way much more can be 

 attained and more satisfaction felt than in desultory observa- 

 tions which have no connection the one with the other. There is 

 one more point and that is co-operation amongst our members. 

 In the pursuit of our own particular branch of enquiry we shall 

 be constantly coming across specimens and facts which belong to 

 some fellow member's branch. In such cases it is the duty of 

 the members to, if possible, secure the specimen for and at any 

 rate apprize each other of the facts they have accidentally 

 stumbled across. In this way we can form a band of union 

 amongst ourselves which will be beneficial to all alike and which 

 it is the aim of this Club to promote. 



Looking once more at the work of the past year I say I con- 

 sider it very creditable. Looking at the future I can promise 

 those of this Club who love Natural History for the instruction 

 and amusement it affords, an inexhaustible fund to draw 

 upon. " Nothing new under the sun " is an old adage in 

 which there is considerable truth, but to those who delight in the 

 observation of Nature, in attempting to unravel her mysteries, in 

 noting the wonderful and diversified forms of beauty which she 



