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Two such instances have come to my knowledge — one 

 that of a Naturalists' Society at Ely, some account of which 

 was sent me by the Secretary about a year ago ; the other 

 that of a Field Club at Cambridge, formed by Professor 

 Babington, which did good work for one or two seasons, but 

 which he could not keep longer together, though consisting 

 of members of a University where science is well cared for 

 and encouraged, — it languished and came to nothing. 



It is a noticeable fact, mentioned in an article on Field 

 Clubs, published in the last October number of the " Jovirnal 

 of Science," that though these Clubs are so numerous at the 

 present day, by far the greater number of them lie to the 

 West. It was remarked that their geographical distribution 

 in the country would almost be as curious a subject for 

 inquiry as that of our native animals and plants. The 

 writer mentions no less than fifteen " in a belt extending 

 from Lancashire, along the western side of England to the 

 South coast," while comparatively few exist in other parts. 

 To what cause this is to be attributed it is not easy to say. 

 It can hardly be that the Western counties open out a richer 

 field for the Naturalist than the Eastern, for I conceive it 

 rather the reverse ; the Eastern, according to my experience, 

 so far as Botany and Zoology are concerned, being richer than 

 the Western. Few tracts in England perhaps yield a more 

 abundant harvest to the collector — as well in respect of the 

 number of species, as of the immber of rare species — than 

 the fen districts of Cambridgeshire and the adjoining counties, 

 and the woods of Kent. There is no doubt a great difference, 

 speaking generally, in the scenery of the East and West, and 

 this may have its influence in bringing these Clubs together ; 

 the Western counties, with their alternations of hill and 

 valley, and other striking landscape features — offering at- 

 tractions to a walking party such as seldom present them- 

 selves in the East, while at the same time they reveal to the 



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