THE STUDY OF LIFE-HISTORY. 128 



life-histories of the earwig, grasshopper, and other well-known 

 insects ; but by thus unduly extending my address I should run 

 serious risk of destroying the only merit it stands possessed of, 

 and the only claim it has upon your indulgence to-night, viz. its 

 brevity. 



I will in conclusion therefore confine myself to the suggestion 

 that there should be more intercommunication and combination, 

 for dealing with matters of general concern to all, between the 

 various Natural History Societies throughout the length and 

 breadth of the land than exists at the present day. Any member 

 who is possessed of sufficient curiosity to fill in, say in two 

 colours, on an ordinary Bradshaw railway map, the various 

 districts covered by members of the different Entomological 

 Societies and Natural History Field Clubs will in all probability 

 find they extend to far greater number and wider distribution 

 than he ever supposed ; whilst a cursory glance through the 

 pages of the ' Naturalists' Directory ' will disclose the fact that 

 in our ranks are also included many persons of influence. Were, 

 then, some measure of intercourse and mutual support obtaining, 

 it would enable us to devote attention to two important questions, 

 one of vital interest to ourselves, and the other to the community 

 at large. With regard to the first of these — viz. that scientific 

 societies in their several districts should either by concerted or 

 other action assist in the endeavour to prevent the enclosing of 

 common land and ground in the possession of the Crown — I have 

 been somewhat anticipated by the very apposite remarks of Dr. 

 Cotton with regard to Delamere Forest, and therefore now only 

 briefly allude to the subject for the purpose of adding one or two 

 additional facts, which it may interest the Society to know. We 

 have it on the authority of Mr. Fortescue Horner, one of H.M. 

 present Commissioners for Woods, Forests, and Land Eevenues, 

 that five and forty years ago the woodlands of Delamere extended 

 to nearly 4000 acres, since which time 1800 have been cleared 

 for agriculture and 126 sold. At that period 750 acres of 

 reclaimed land were already let out as farms, a total which at 

 the present day has grown to 2550 ; so that from 1856 to the 

 end of the century just closed, the woodlands appear to have 

 shrunk from nearly 4000 acres to but little more than half their 

 former dimensions. I am neither a prophet nor a mathematician, 

 and will therefore refrain from prognostications as to the future 

 other than to express the opinion that unless definite action is 

 shortly taken to prevent further encroachments, Delamere will, 

 in the course of a few decades, be a forest only in name. 

 Scientists in the South of England have done much to stop the 

 reclamation of land which formerly obtained in the New Forest, 

 and we ought in no way to lag behind in our endeavour to save 

 the whole of that part of Delamere which now remains for the 

 benefit of future generations of naturalists. 



