ANNUAL MEETING PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 151 



Mr. Harrison's scheme for the examination of the glacial drift of 

 the Midlands, in spite of the adverse elements, has at least been fairly- 

 started, and, with reference to his excellent plan of procedure, I would 

 suggest that, on the same plan, the whole district embraced by the 

 Societies of the Union might be mapped out, and a perfect set of 

 geological oharts and maps prepared under its auspices. 



In the photographical section of the Northampton Society, my friend 

 Mr. Scriven has come forward this year with an exceedingly useful and 

 graceful addition to the tangible results of our scientific labours. I refer 

 to the series of photographs of the celebrated trees of the Midland 

 Counties which he has commenced, of which two beautiful plates have 

 heen published in the journal of our Society. 



With reference to that journal, I may add that the editorial com- 

 mittee have every reason to be proud of it, as everyone who has seen 

 it will agree. All the same I would point out to all the Societies, 

 including my own, the danger of withdrawing any support from the 

 authorised journal of the Union, and I think that every member of a 

 Society which has its own journal should make it a point of honour not 

 to cease taking in the "Midland Naturalist," as it was started on the 

 understanding that it woidd be supported by all the Societies of the 

 Union. Again, those gentlemen who contribute papers to their own 

 Society's journal should not hesitate to give the Union journal the 

 preference, should its editors request them to do so. Without some such 

 understanding, it might happen that the " Midland Naturalist " will not 

 be able to enlarge its scope, and grow in stature and bulk, as it no 

 doubt will do if we only centralise our efforts. 



And that leads me to the consideration of one of the chief uses which 

 an organisation like this one of the Union might he put to, and that is to 

 collect into a focus the work of the different Societies ; to enable 

 them, by combining their efforts, to produce a greater quantity of 

 work, and of a better quality, than could be done by their separate 

 efforts. To give a fuller explanation of my meaning, I will take 

 as an hypothesis that it is decided to set some work on foot to be 

 accomplished by the combined talent and energies of all the members of 

 the Union. The character of that work having been agreed on, (which even 

 as a suggestion I must leave to the superior judgment of your Council,) a 

 central committee might be appointed to carry it into effect, by receiving 

 and revising, and if necessary weeding the contributions forwarded by the 

 different committees ; these sub-committees again being appointed by 

 each society to receive and revise the contributions of its members. 

 These contributions, to avoid the slightest excuse for those jealousies 

 which might creep even into the most fraternal association of human 

 beings, I would suggest should always take the form of notes, or some 

 other plan might be resorted to where it was necessary to amalgamate 

 the materials at hand. And it is this very power of addition and subtrac- 

 tion, which the Central Editorial Committee would possess, which would 

 ensure the matter for publication being complete in every sense of the 

 word. It would be time enough to talk of publishing such a work when it 



