WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13th, 1897. 



INAUGURAL MEETING. 



ADDRESS BY 

 Prof. G. S. BOULGEK, F.L.S., F.G.S. 



ON 



THE VALUE OF FIELD WORK IN NATURAL 

 HISTORY. 



The ways in whicli field work is of value in the study of 

 Natural History may be arranged and discussed as follows : — 



1st. — As an incentive and introduction to the study of 

 natural history. 



2nd. — As providing necessary material. 



3rd. — As the study of structural detail. 



4th. — As the study of the life of the individual, 



5th. — As the study of Hexicology. 



1st. — It has been said that Gilbert White's Natural History 

 of Selhorne has made as many naturalists as Southey's Life of 

 Nelson has made sailors. 



The mind that is in no degree inquisitive can hardly 

 be in any high degree intelligent ; and the inquisitive mind 

 whether of child or adult can hardly fail to find in any 

 country walk material upon which to exercise itself. Professor 

 Boulger described at some length the more noticeable phenomena 

 which winter, spring, summer and autumn successively display 

 to the dweller in the country. Continuing, he said that so 

 valuable did he believe field work to be as an incentive that i£ 

 any old established Natural History Society finds that it is fall- 

 ing off in numbers he should certainly recommend it to hold field 

 meetings with informal al fresco lecturettes, and to try and get 

 visitors as yet untouched by the enchantments of nature to attend 

 such meetings. This would not only be the best means of 



