ANNIAI, I;KP()UT, 



The Committee hope tluit an oqnally succossi'nl oxciirsiou may 

 be made to some other place of interest during tlie present or 

 next year. 



The Meeting of the Midland Union of Natural History 

 Societies in the past year was held at Cheltenham on 

 June 10th, when the members were cordially and hospitably 

 entertained by the Cheltenham Natural Science Society. 



The Committee have been much concerned respecting the 

 falling off in the circulation of the " Midland Naturalist."' It 

 will be remembered that this Journal was established by the 

 Council of the Midland Union at their first meeting in October, 

 1877, and the first number was issued in January, 1878 ; conse- 

 qx;ently it is now in the fifth year of its existence. From informa- 

 tion received from the publishers it appears that the " IMidland 

 Naturalist " now mainly relies upon subscribers in London, and 

 that it receives very meagre support both in Birmingham and 

 among the Societies forming the Union. Feeling that the 

 interests of this Journal, which was suggested and set on foot 

 chiefly by some of the members of this Society, are greatly 

 bound up with the interests of the Society, they take this oppor- 

 tunity of earnestly impressing upon every member the duty of 

 subscribing to it. The Committee acknowledge gratefully the 

 valuable services given to the " Midland Naturalist " by the 

 Editors, and will gravely consider during the year the best 

 means of setting the publication on a firm and successfiTl 

 basis. 



It is the sorrowful dut\ of the Committee to record the loss, 

 by death, of one of the oldest and most esteemed members. Dr. 

 William Hinds, who was one of the founders of the Society, and 

 its first President. His kind courtesy and gentle manners have 

 left a lasting impression upon those who were intimate with 

 him. The Society is much indebted to his representatives for 

 the gift of his herbarium, which will prove useful to the botanical 

 members for reference, and will, it is hoped, be the nucleus 

 of a large local herbarium, such as the Society ought to possess. 



At the end of tlie year 1880 the Society numbered 371 



