TRANSACTIONS. 67 
been issued ; but I gather from its pages quite enough to enable 
me to congratulate you heartily upon the work which has been 
done in archeological research, as well as in many of the branches 
of natural history. As to archeology, it would indeed be 
“passing strange” if we who have our home in this charming 
district, teeming as it is with monuments of the past, could go on 
our way all heedless of such relics, which, silent though they be, 
speak to us in “language more eloquent than words” of days and 
deeds which but for them would have been for ever buried in 
oblivion ; but, fortunately, there are among us those who have 
taken care to see that treasures such as these are not ignored. I 
read with much pleasure in the Transactions alluded to several 
interesting papers on this subject, especially those communicated 
by Mr Wilson and Mr Coles. 
Passing on to natural history, botany would seem to hold a 
first place in the estimation of our members. This is not surprising, 
and full advantage has evidently been taken of the lavish manner 
in which Flora has bedecked this district. In geology and 
mineralogy I understand that good work has been done. Zoologists, 
too, have not been idle, and here I must not omit to notice a very 
interesting and able communication by Mr Armistead on 
“ Atmospheric and other Influences on the Migration of Fishes,” 
a subject which has not hitherto received the attention it 
deserves. The insecta have been well looked after, especially by 
Mr Lennon, whose unwearying zeal and energy in his favourite 
pursuit called forth my admiration, if I mistake not, so long as 
thirty years ago, and if he has continued until now to be as 
unrelaxing in his effort as he then was, it must be a very cunning 
species which has eluded his searching eye. 
And now a word about the mollusca. It is much to be 
regretted that the study of these creatures has, in this district, been 
hitherto greatly neglected. If they are looked down upon with con- 
tempt by those who know but little about them, it ought to be 
remembered that nothing which the Almighty has seen fit to 
create can possibly be unworthy of our contemplation. To those, 
however, who would wish to make amends for neglected oppor- 
tunities there is the satisfaction of knowing that a new field for 
research lies open before them in this locality, and to me it has 
always been a source of intense pleasure, so far as natural history 
is concerned, to find myself on hitherto untrodden ground. 
