PRRSIDKNT S ADDUKSS. V 



extended teaching,' of natural science, wliicli wc may now fairly 

 expect in schools of all i,n-ades all over the country ; so that I 

 think it not too sangaine an expectation on my part that the 

 Natural History Societies of the future will grow in importance 

 and usefulness, and will be more like what some of our members 

 would gladly see them now if it were possible. 



But our Societies have had to contend with the great 

 disadvantage of the majority of their members having had no 

 preliminary training in science ; many indeed with very little 

 training of any kind. The inborn love of living things has, 

 however, been strong within them, and so, spite of want of 

 knowledge or little opportunity, they have found time in adult 

 age to follow the bent of their inclination, and the inquisitive- 

 ness of youth has come again to the surface of their lives, and 

 they have done as men what they were not able to do as children. 

 The boundless riches of Nature have been laid under 

 contribution by them, her secrets have been puzzled out, and, 

 well for them and for us, they are very willing to impart to 

 others what they have found out for themselves. I appeal to 

 many who hear these words whether this is not something like 

 a roiigh outline of their career as Naturalists, and whether tiiey 

 have not won the honoured name without any set purpose at 

 the outset, and in spite of hindrances and disappointments ? 



The course usually entered on by the young Naturalist is 

 that merely of collecting birds' eggs, or butterflies, or plants, or 

 fossils, followed in some cases by attempts to classify these 

 collections according to their real or fancied relationships ; but 

 later on the study of structure, and of the adaptation of means 

 to ends and environments, come to be regarded as the 

 chief work of the Naturalist ; and collecting and classifying, 

 valuable as they certainly are, occupy only a subordinate 

 position. 



Youths with a taste for Natural History, privileged as they 

 are in this Society to enjoy gratuitously all the advantages of 

 membership, even while they are schoolboys, will, I should hope, 

 have their taste for Natural Science developed in a very healthy 



