The Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union. 31 
endears his memory to all who knew him. His admirable list of the birds 
of Wakefield is almost the only published record of his work, but he was 
an excellent lepidopterist, and a warm-hearted and enthusiastic observer 
of Nature in all her aspects. He died in 1882. 
In September 1861, a meeting was held at Heckmondwike for the 
purpose of founding a Naturalists’ Society for that town, when the Heck- 
mondwike naturalists were supported by about sixty others from the 
Huddersfield, Halifax, and Wakefield Societies. At this meeting Mr. 
Talbot introduced the question of the advisability of more combined and 
organised intercourse, and pointed out the mutual benefits which would 
accrue. He was warmly supported by others, and then on his motion it 
was unanimously resolved to form a Union of Societies for the purpose 
of holding joint meetings periodically at the various places where societies 
had already been established. 
Thus the Heckmondwike Naturalists’ Society and the Yorkshire 
Naturalists’ Union were founded on the same day, and at the same meet- 
ing, and it is to the credit of the Heckmondwike Naturalists’ Society that 
it is the only one which has uninterruptedly kept up its connection with 
the Union from that day to this, a period of half a century. Moreover, 
the headquarters of the Union were at Heckmondwike during the years 
1861 and 1862, and from 1870 to 1877. It furnished during these periods 
the Secretary to the Union, and in 1870 a Heckmondwike member became 
its first President. A further meeting was held on the 18th January, 1862, 
at which the objects were defined, rules drawn up, and arrangements 
made for the holding of meetings. The name was also decided upon, 
and the new-born federation was called the ‘ West Riding Consolidated 
Naturalists’ Society,’ a title which it retained until changed to that which 
it now bears. 
A constitution was printed a year or two later in which its object was 
stated to be ‘ the effectual advancement of local natural science,’ for, by 
the various societies meeting together, having a kindly interchange of 
thought, and becoming acquainted with the natural history of the districts 
of each other, a more rapid dissemination of knowledge is attained, and 
facilities afforded for the better acquisition, exhibition, and exchange of 
specimens. 
As to the organisation of the Union of this time, it was extremely 
simple. There was only one office-bearer, the secretary. No president 
was found necessary, as the president of the society in the place of meeting 
was appointed to preside. During the first year, and again in a succeeding 
year, the meetings were held on Sundays, but this was found to be highly 
detrimental to the society’s success, and the practice was discontinued. 
During the first four years the meetings were indoor meetings, but with 
the year 1866 and afterwards outdoor field excursions were substituted. 
This was found to revive the old enthusiasm of the early years, and hence- 
forward the meetings were well attended and exceedingly useful in bringing 
naturalists together to their mutual benefit. 
The meeting having been fixed for a convenient place, usually on a 
Saturday, the members walked from their respective homes to the place 
appointed, collecting and observing as they went. On arriving, the whole 
of the plants and other objects collected were turned out on to the tables. 
The chairman then called on some good botanist to play the part of Adam, 
and ‘name the plants.’ The ‘namer’ then picked up the various species, 
and gave their names more or less rapidly for the benefit of the others, and 
in the case of plants of special interest he gave such information as he 
thought advisable. Other members were in like manner asked to name the 
insects, the shells, the fossils, etc., and the ornithologists to report in 
what they had observed. 
The disadvantages of these methods were various. The waste of 
time involved in going through the specimens collected, whether common or 
not, and the want of scientific accuracy inherent in the system of mixing 
1g11 Dec. 1. 
