Annual Address to the Cotteswold Naturalists' Field Cluh, read the 

 2nd April, 1872, by the President, Sik W. V. Guise, Bart., 

 F.L.S., F.G.S. 



Gentlemen, — 



The return of Spring calls us again together, and it is with 

 great satisfaction that I am able to assure you of the continued 

 activity and prosperity of the Cotteswold Club. Our mmibers 

 are well sustained, and though our Secretary reports a few 

 vacancies, there are several eligible candidates awaiting election, 

 who if elected, will fill the void. Our field Meetings have been 

 well attended, and I have noticed no faUing off either in num- 

 bers or interest on these occasions. We have lost by death one 

 of our oldest associates, Mr. David Mowbeat Walkee, the late 

 proprietor of the Gloucester Journal, who, though at no period 

 of his life a Naturalist, took always a lively and intelligent 

 interest in the proceedings of the Club ; and the columns of 

 his widely circulated print were always freely open to the 

 records of our papers and proceedings. 



WhUe on the subject of those whom death has taken from 

 us, it would not be fitting that I should pass without notice here 

 the name of one of the Founders of Modem Geologic Science — 

 the grand old Silurian Chief, Sir Eodeeick Mtjechison — one of 

 the last of that glorious band of observers, who within the last 

 fiifty years have established the laws of Stratigraphical Geology^ 

 upon a basis of truth as enduring as the rock -masses upon 

 which the Science is founded. One by one these fathers of the 

 Science are passing from among us, and of those that" are left, 

 it may be said they are indeed 



" Rari nautes in gurgite vasto." 



B 



