250 



will prove that we have no desire to over-estimate the importance 

 of our researches, while it may tend to divert the mind and thinking 

 of our members from running too much in one groove, to the 

 neglect of other subjects. I remember, when the Club was first 

 established, now sixteen years ago, feeling apprehensions this might 

 be the case ; that some parts of the field we marked out for 

 investigation, more attractive than others, especially to those 

 members who only take a general interest in its proceedings 

 without doing much for science themselves, might receive an undue 

 share of our consideration. It was agreed to be called " The Bath 

 Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club," and its object was 

 said to be " to make excursions around Bath with the view of 

 investigating the Natural History, Geology, and Antiquities of the 

 neighbourhood." To what extent has this object been carried out? 

 What have we to produce as the result of our inquiries 1 Have 

 these inquiries been extended to each one of the above subjects in 

 its turn ? Or is it not a fact that, while the Antiquities of the 

 neighbourhood have been sedulously sought out and studied, its 

 Natural History has been comparatively neglected 1 



The Club having now published four parts of its " Proceedings," 

 I thought the time was come when this question might fairly be 

 taken up and answered. The papers which these parts contain 

 may be regarded, I suppose, as a fair sample of our work. They go 

 forth to the world as the fruit of those labours we have by preference 

 chosen, on which we have bestowed most care, and by which we 

 would be judged. Accordingly I have looked them over; and 

 passing by the yearly " Summaries" of the Secretary, and my own 

 " Addresses," which are quite of a separate character from the other 

 papers, I find the number of these others to amouiit to twenty ; 

 whereof nine relate to Antiquities or History, six to Geology, three 

 to Botany, one to Zoology, and one to Meteorology. The authors of 

 the several papers in question are twelve in number. 



Surely these facts speak for themselves. They show what the 

 subjects are to which our Club, as a body, gives its main attention. 

 At the same time, that only twelve members should have done 

 work of sufficient importance to be laid before the public, is not 

 what we could have desired or might have looked for. 



