pleasure of rambling over new ground, especially in a neigh- 

 bourhood like that of Bath, where there is so much diversity 

 of landscape and beautiful soeuery to engage the attention, 

 irrespectively of its natural productions and other matters 

 of interest. With regard to the first of these objects, I think 

 there should be an earnest endeavour made on the part of the 

 membere of our Club — whether they work together on field 

 days, or prefer working quietly by themselves at other times 

 — to ascertain as far as possible what the neighbourhood of 

 Bath really produces. One advantage to be derived from 

 having a large body of members, is the better chance thereby 

 afi'orded of the several departments of Natural History being 

 all equally well looked after. We are more likely to find men 

 ready to take up its different branches respectively, and to 

 give them their exclusive attention. And there is a call for 

 work everywhere. Though the Flora of Bath, at least as 

 regards the phanerogamous plants, has been carefully got 

 together by Professor Babington, who was formerly connected 

 ■with the place, — of its Fauna we know very little indeed. There 

 are records of certain species of shells and insects being 

 inhabitants of the district, but, so far as I am aware, that is 

 all. I think we ought to try to enrol amoug our members, 

 if such are not already to be found in the list, working natu- 

 ralists who are disposed to fill up this blank, and to supply 

 us in time \\-ith complete catalogues of the mammals, birds, 

 insects, shells, &c., occurring within a radius of eight or nine 

 miles round Bath, — availing themselves of every oppor- 

 tunity of having the species properly determined by 

 those most competent to give an opinion. Even the list of 

 plants contained in " Babington's Flora Bathoniensis" might 

 probably be much increased, while in the Cryptogamic depart- 

 ment, with the exception of the Fungi which have received, 

 and are still receiving, so much attention from ]\Ir. Broome, 

 one of our original members, we have a field entirely untrodden, 

 and one, from the multitude of forms which it embraces, 

 almost of unlimited research. 



Natural History was the main subject of inquiry to which it 

 was intended this Club should devoteitself when first instituted. 

 The subject of Antiquities was afterwards added, and I think 

 very properly. For, although there is no very close connection 

 between the two, it still often happens that those who take an 

 interest in the one subject, take an interest in the other also, 

 and the two can be well prosecuted together in a field excur- 

 sion, — parties either joining, — or, if preferred, separating for a 

 time to follow up their respective pursuits, and coming together 

 again at the end of the day's work. It is a question, indeed, 

 whether, whenever there is a large company in the field, it 



