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those inhabiting the district. Another Member has collected 

 many of the birds, which I have reason to hope may find a 

 place in our new local Museum, as soon as it is ready to 

 receive them. You may not all have the same zeal that 

 these gentlemen have, or the same opportunities ; but with- 

 out any trouble to yourselves, and with very Httle knowledge 

 of the subject, you may, if you will, in your weekly walks, be 

 on the look out, or make such inquiries as may be of great 

 service. You occasionally fall in with country gentlemen 

 who assist you in your antiquarian researches — indeed, we have 

 some present at our table to-day, whom we are glad to 

 welcome in return for the attentions they have shown the 

 Club in this way ; and I feel sure they would be equally glad 

 to help us, so far as they can, in our Natural History researches. 

 They may have keepers, or know of keepers in their 

 neighbourhood, who could procure rare birds and animals for 

 our Museum. Many such are constantly being killed by 

 game preservers which are lost to science, from their value 

 not being duly estimated, or from the parties who obtain them 

 not knowing anyone who would care to have them. Or you 

 may talk to any intelligent persons you meet with about these 

 things. There is no trouble in asking questions, even if we 

 get no answer to our inquiries at the time. Tell one what 

 we want, and he tells another, and the second tells a third, 

 and sooner or later something will turn up to our advantage. 

 Or ao-ain, you may inquire what fish occur in the brooks and 

 rivers you come to ; what snakes or lizards are seen about, 

 securing any you happen yourselves to meet with ; or you may 

 make it the object of a walk on some occasion to search — as I 

 suggested after the reading of Dr. Bird's paper at one of our 

 evening meetings — whether you cannot discover any traces of 

 the great edible snail (Helix pomatia), supposed by some to 

 be connected with Roman Villas and old Roman towns. 

 There is no good foundation, perhaps, for such opinion ; but 



