200 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



interesting facts during those excursions which would have a beneficial 

 influence on the intellect. By being joined together in a society they 

 might greatly help one another. With regard to the objective value 

 of such a society as this, he thought they ought not to limit their 

 efforts to the mere making out of accurate lists of flo»" nd fauna 

 which occurred in the district. The efforts of naturalists also ought 

 to be devoted to the discovery of general philosophical principles, as 

 applied to both animals and plants. He thought they could learn a 

 great deal more by the careful study of the commonest things than 

 by looking for rarities. They could not hesitate in saying that a 

 great deal remained to be done in the study of natural histr n 

 every district. They might come to such a question as this : " What 

 is life, and how have the various species of animals and plants origi- 

 nated ? " Such a problem was one of the greatest that could be pre- 

 sented to the human intellect. Then, again, a very difficult subject 

 was, why particular plants grew in particular localities. That was a 

 question easily asked, but most difficult to answer. Sooner or later, 

 science ought to be able to say why certain plants grew in certain 

 localities and not in others, and the determination of that question 

 would have a most important bearing on geological theses. Another 

 problem for study was, what was the effect of dry or wet seasons on 

 certain plants ? If that question were settled, they might know the 

 effect that must have been produced in bygone ages, by the alteration 

 of climate, on certain plants and animals. Another most interesting 

 subject for investigation was the influence of plants on plants, animals 

 on animals, and one on the other ; the fertilization of plants by in- 

 sects, and the attractability of different colours for different insects. 

 The speaker recommended for study the following subjects : — The 

 manner in which the habits of animals have been acquired ; the 

 manner in which varieties or species have been formed ; the limit 

 of the successive generation of insects through none but females ; 

 the diseases of plants due to parasitic fungi and insects. He concluded 

 by remarking that he might say much more on this subject, but he 

 had shown sufficient to prove that much might be learnt by studying 

 the commonest things seen almost everywhere. 



Mr. Edward Birks read an interesting paper on the botany of the 

 district, after which, the following gentlemen were added to the 

 members of the Society: — Messrs. M. du Gillon, G. W. Hawksley, 

 W. H. Booth, F. Trickett, B. Lokley, F. Lawton, D. K. Doncaster, 

 J. Hobson, W. K. Peace, W. Smith, S. Osborn, E. Allen, J. Bedford, 

 J. H. Wood, H. Seebohm, A. Ellin, J. Webster, H. I. Dixon, and the 

 Eev. J. T. F. Aldred. 



A vote of thanks to the President concluded the proceedings. 





