171 ANNUAL MEETING — GENERAL BUSINESS. 



be dwelt upon by their excellent friend and president (Dr. Wright) at 

 a later stage of the proceedings. He wan sure his fellow townsmen 

 ceediugly pleased the Union had selected Cheltenham for 

 their meeting. Ee hoped that the town would in no way disappoint 

 them, and th.it they would not look back with regret on their visit. 



Dr. Weight, F.R.S., President of the Union and President of the 

 Cheltenham ' 3oience Society, whose name was coupled with 



the second toast, responded, and, after thanking the Chairman for his 

 ility. pointed out briefly but forcibly and gracefully the advan- 

 of such annual gatherings of Naturalists as that which had 

 brought the company together from so many different counties. He 

 concluded by proposing the health of " The Host," which was 

 received with great cordiality. — Mr. Agg-Gardner acknowledged the 

 toast, and proposed the healths of " the local Honorary Secretaries," 

 (Colonel Basevi and Dr. W. R. Smith,) who both briefly responded, 

 the latter concluding his remarks by proposing the "Corporation of 

 Cheltenham,'' which the Mayor (Alderman Nash SMllicorne) acknow- 

 ledged. 



The Council meeting was then resumed, and was so protracted 

 that the commencement of the Annual Meeting was greatly delayed. 

 The business of the Council not being finished at four o'clock, the 

 inciting was again adjourned until after the Annual Meeting. 



THE ANNUAL MEETING. 

 A large number of members attended, including most of those 

 named above, and man;, others. The President of the Union 

 (Dr. Wright, F.R.S.) occupied the chair, and commenced the proceed- 

 ing bj reading the Address, printed in full at pages 145 to 159 of the 

 •• Midland Naturalist " for July. 



It was unanimously resolved, on the motion of Professor West- 

 wood, (Oxford. I " That the thanks of this meeting he given to the 

 ! nt (Dr. Thomas Wright, F.R.S.) for the able address now read, 

 and that it be printed in the ' Midland Naturalist.' 



In consequence of indisposition, Dr. Wright then vacated the 

 ohair, which was taken by Mr. Edmund Tonks, B.C.L., (an ex-Presi- 

 dent of the Union,) and the formal business of the meeting was then 

 transacted. 



Mr. Edward W. Badger, one of the Honorary Secretaries, having 

 he minutes of the last annual meeting, held at Northampton, 

 I 7th. L880, it was resolved : — 



■ Thai the minutes be confirmed and signed." 

 Mr. BADGER then read 



THE COUNCIL'S REPORT. 



The made by Mr. \V. Jerome Harrison, E.G. S., at the last 



Annual Meeting that the Union should "offer a Gold Medal annually 

 ted with the Natural History of tin- Midlands," 

 was by resolution referred "to the Managemenl Committee, with 

 power to carry it into • iey I hink lit." Th i Ma aagement Com- 



mittee having devoted considerable thought and attention to the 

 BUbject, ultimate I \ worked out the details of a scheme for encouraging 



original research by Members of the Societies in the Union, which 

 they communicated to all the Societies on the 30th <>f July last. \ • 



