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arranged by the Council in order that there may be a short time at 

 every meeting during which can be read notes of any interesting 

 occurrence or discover}' which, although of importance as a fact to 

 be recorded, may not be of such a nature as to wai-rant the preparation 

 of an elaboi'ate paper. I venture to hope that before the season is over 

 we shall have, in this way, many valuable observations brought under 

 our notice. This leads me again to impress upon you all the necessity of 

 taking notes. It is utterly impossible for any one who wishes to advance 

 in the systematic study of Natural Science to carry the results of all his 

 investigations in his brain. A. Naturalist should have his note-book 

 always with him — in the field, in his study, and even in carrying out his 

 daily business. Everything not before observed must be noted down 

 at the time, and no pains must be spared to have these notes systematic, 

 exact, and, above all, legibly written; the date, locality and circumstances 

 must always be given, and observed facts must never be mixed up w^ith 

 theories or conjectures. There is a great temptation for everyone to get 

 into a hurried, untidy way of making notes, under the idea that as they 

 are only for his own use and no one else will ever see them it does not 

 matter. This is the greatest mistake imaginable, for experience teaches 

 that if notes are to be of any real use for future reference the greatest care 

 must be taken with every detail. It is seldom that notes are required 

 immediately after being made, because, of course, the original occuri-ences 

 are fresh in the memory; but it fi-equently happens that some unexpected 

 event turns the mind to a branch of study which has been compara- 

 tively neglected for a long time ; and I know of nothing so disappointing 

 as, upon turning up your notes of experiments or observations, which 

 you remember to have prosecuted most carefully, to find that, at the 

 time, they had been scantily or imperfectly recorded. In scientific 

 matters the memory must never be trusted to for anything ; whenever 

 a fact is proved, note it down ; if true, it is sure to be of use either to 

 yourself or someone else at a future date. 



In addition to the short notes by members at the difierent soirees, 

 greater efforts will be made this year to exhibit attractive specimens 

 and collections, and if there is any one here to-night wlio })ossesses 

 anything of more than usual scientific interest they will confer a favour 

 on the Club by notifying the Secretaiy, and lending it for one of these 



