168 ANNUAL MEETING—GENERAL BUSINESS, 
“enclosing” and ‘‘disafforesting” Charnwood, as they did in the early 
part of this century, they would have retained it as a national park, 
have planted it, and cared for it, and preserved it a safe home for all that 
is wild and free in the native fauna and flora of our country. This is 
what it is proposed to do with the New Forest in Hampshire, and the 
Council, on behalf of the members of this Union, desire to express 
their entire sympathy with the Hon. Auberon Herbert in his efforts in 
this direction. 
The official organ of the Union, the ‘‘ Midland Naturalist,” has been 
duly published monthly. It has attained a recognised position among 
scientific periodicals, and the testimonials from all quarters as to its 
success have been numerous and encouraging. It chronicles monthly 
the doings of the various societies of our Union, and many most inter- 
esting and valuable contributions on points both of local and general 
interest have already appeared inits pages. Itis disappointing, however, 
to find that such a comparatively small proportion—not more than one- 
sixth—of the members of the Union are subscribers to what is really 
their own magazine. Every member should support it, not merely by 
his own subscription and by recommending it to his friends, but by 
recording and promptly forwarding to the editors all interesting facts of 
natural history and general science which may happen in his (or her) 
locality. The volume for 1878 forms a book of some 350 pages, and, as 
a permanent record of Midland science work and workers must always 
be of interest. Only a very few sets of this first volume are now left. 
For the extremely moderate price at which the magazine has been puk- 
lished, and the very satisfactory nature of its printing and general get 
up, the Council desire to thank the publishers most sincerely. 
As to the work of the past year the Council have to report that the 
following societies have joined the Union during the past twelve months: 
1.)—Peterborough Natural History and Scientific Society. 
2.)—Nottingham High School Natural History Society. 
3.)—Small Heath Literary and Scientific Society. 
The complete list thus includes twenty-four Societies, viz. :— 
Birmingham Natural History and Microscopical Society. 
Birmingham Philosophical Society. 
Birmingham and Midland Institute Scientific Society. 
Birmingham School Natural History Society. 
Burton-on-Trent Natural History and Archeological Society. 
Caradoc Field Club. 
Cheltenham Natural Science Society. 
Derbyshire Naturalists’ Society. 
Dudley and Midland Geological and Scientific Society and Field Club. 
Hyesham Field Naturalists’ Club. 
Leicester Literary and Philosophical Society. 
Northampton Naturalists’ Society. 
Nottingham High School Natural History Society. 
Nottingham Literary and Philosophical Society. 
Nottingham Naturalists’ Society. 
Oswestry and Welshpool Naturalists’ Field Club. 
Peterborough Natural History and Scientific Society. 
Rugby School Natural History Society. 
Severn Valley Naturalists’ Field Club. 
Shropshire Archeological and Natural History Society. 
Small Heath Literary and Scientific Society. 
Stroud Natural History Society. 
Tamworth Natural History, Geological, and Antiquarian Society. 
Woolhope Naturalists’ Field Club. 
