50 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



Society slioulcl become the conservator of such lists of plants and 

 animals as its own members, the members of similar societies, or 

 naturalists generally, either within or without the county, might 

 transmit to it. That these lists be collated and compared ; the 

 question of publication, and in what way, to be determined at some 

 future time. That to carry out this object, naturalists generally, and 

 its own members in particular, be ashed to note down the name, with 

 approximate locality, and the circumstances whether the species was 

 rare, local, or common, with any other points of interest. That such 

 members as had already paid attention to some branch of natural 

 history be asked to work at it systematically in the coimty. That 

 those who had only a general interest, and especially the younger 

 members, should devote themselves to some one branch, and endeavour 

 to work it up, putting down, as before suggested, facts of locality, 

 time, &c. 



To those asking "What to work at?" he replied, any branch 

 would prove interesting, but he would indicate certain paths likely to 

 afford novelties either to science, or at least to the Fauna and Flora 

 of Sussex. 



The marine zoology and botany of Sussex, with its extensive coast 

 line, would well rej)ay any ardent workers, as not only many species 

 hitherto unknown to the district would be sure to reward the investi- 

 gator, but almost everything had to be learnt of the times of appeai"- 

 ance and transformation of most of the sea-dwellers along the coast. 



Much remained to be done in Botany, both Cryptogamic and 

 Ph^nogamic. 



The Mosses and Lichens had been admirably done by such inde- 

 fatigable students as Mitten and G. Davies. One branch of Cryptoga- 

 mic Botany, though, was unworked, viz. the Fungi. Though Kalfs, 

 Smith, and Jenner had done much for the minute Algai, many parts of 

 the county, at present unworked, would be sure to yield good results. 



In zoology a field of inquiry lay open among the land and fresh- 

 water mollusks. No county was so rich in insects ; the beetles, 

 spiders, and diptera, required workers, as did also the Tineas among 

 the Lepidoptera, while careful observation would certainly add to 

 localities for moths and butterflies, and, possibly, increase the number 

 of known species. The late Dr. Ormerod and Mr. Unwin had added 

 to our knowledge of the Hymenoptera, auguring what might be done 

 in other departments of entomology. Captain Knox and others had 

 told how rich Sussex was in birds, and, with the new " Wild Birds' 

 Act" in operation, there was no fear of a diminution of sj)ecies. 



In any department the microscope would be found an invaluable 

 aid ; in fact, it ought to form a part of the equipment of every 

 naturalist. 



As assistances to work, the library contained admirable mono- 

 graphs in almost, if not every, branch, rendering the identification of 

 species comparatively easy. There were two lessons all should learn, 

 never to be ashamed of ignorance when they did not know a plant or 

 animal, and not to fancy their dignity suffered by asking some one, 

 who had made any particular branch a study, to namo any specimen 



