ANNUAL MEETING. 1G9 



MIDLAND UNION OF NATUEAL HISTOEY SOCIETIES. 



ANNUAL MEETING AT BIEMINGHAM. 



The business* of tlie First Annual Meeting of the Union commenced 

 at Birmingham on Monday, May 27th. The Council met at twelve 

 o'clock, and, having transacted the necessary preliminary business, 

 adjourned to the Queen's Hotel, where, at half-past one o'clock, the 

 President of the Union, Mi\ Edmund Tonks, B.C.L., entertained them 

 and the officers and past Presidents of the Birmingham Natural History 

 and Microscopical Society, and some other of his Birmingham friends, at 

 luncheon. At three o'clock the Annual Meeting of Members was held 

 in the Lectiu'e Theatre of the Birmingham and Midland Institute, the 

 President in the chair. There was a large attendance, including Dr. 

 Cobbold, F.E.S., (London,) Eev. W. H. EUiot, (Caradoc Field Club,) Eev. 

 C. F. Thornewill, (Burton-upon-Treut Natm-al History and Archieological 

 Society,) Eev. O. M. Feilden and Eev. G. G. Monck, (Oswestry and 

 Welshpool Natm-alists' Field Club,) Majpr Barnard, (Cheltenham 

 Natural Science Society,) Mr. C. T. Musson and Mr. A. H. Simpson, 

 (Nottingham Natui'alists' Society,) Mr. I. Mosley, (Nottingham Literary 

 and Philosophical Society.) Mr. E. B. Marten andMr. E. HoUier, (Dudley, 

 &c., Geological Society,) Mr. G. New and the Eev. J. C. Odgers, 

 (Evesham Field Naturahsts' Club,) Mr. T. Heath, (Derbyshire 

 Naturalists' Society,) Eev. Dr. Deane, Eev. H. W. Crosskey; Messrs. 

 W. E. Hughes, S. Allport, Sam. Timmins, T. Andei-ton, Lawson Tait, 

 C. J. Woodward, W. G. Blatch, G. H. Twigg, W. H. Cos, C. E. B. 

 Hewitt, and many others, including several ladies, and the Hon. Sees, 

 to the Council, Mr. W. J. Hai-rison, (Leicester,) and Mr. Edward W. 

 Badger, (Birmingham.) 



The cu'cular convening the meeting ha-\ang been read, the Peesident 

 dehvered the following 



INAUGUEAL ADDEESS. • 



As this is the fkst general meeting of the Associated Natural 

 History, Philosophical, and Archaeological Societies and Field Clubs of the 

 IMidland Counties, it is a matter of regret that the association at a period of 

 its existence so cntical has not as its President some member distinguished 

 by his researches in Natural Science, and experienced in the organisation 

 of scientific study, who might have guided its first steps in the right 

 direction, and elaborated a scheme for its futui-e action worthy of the 

 occasion ; whereas I, who am versed in no department of Science or 

 Philosophy, and have only the accidental qualification for the office of 

 being the President for the year of the Society, some of whose more 

 active Members originated this Union, can only perform perfunctorily the 

 duty devolved on me by ray position. 



Under these circumstances the time of the meeting will be more 

 profitably expended in considering and discussing the best means of 

 perfecting the organisation of the Societj% than in listening to my crude 

 remarks ; it wiU therefore be my duty to make these remarks as brief 



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