198 Yorkshire Ndtiinilists at Coivthorpe. 



in showing' their churches exhausted the whole day, the 

 members never actually got out into the field, and two 

 important resolutions passed at Pontefract clearly defined the 

 scope and the objects of the Union. First, it was resolved that 

 the Society, which had hitherto borne the title of West Riding- 

 Consolidated Naturalists' Society, should extend its sphere to 

 the whole county of York, and be henceforth known as the 

 Yorkshire Naturalists' Union. An amendment that it be York- 

 shire Naturalists' and Archaeological Union was defeated by 

 a larg'e majority, and ecclesiastical and architectural archajologv 

 w^as definitely excluded, and it was understood that the Union 

 dealt with the sciences essentially of local application, mainly 

 zoology, botany, and geology, also meteorology and prehistoric 

 archaeology. Such sciences as astronom}-, chemistry, phjsics, 

 mathematics, which had no local application whatever, were not 

 such as a society, holding field excursions and dealing with a 

 definite topographical area, could discuss. The next resolution 

 was of equal importance as defining the attitude of the Union as 

 regards sight-seeing and leadership, and it emanated from the 

 rank and file of the Union. It was resolved that the secretaries 

 be instructed in future carefully to abstain from arranging visits 

 to churches and field lectures, so that members might be free to 

 engage in actual and active investigations. Leaders, of course, 

 were necessary, but not lecturers, and their function was to be 

 that of topographical experts and to conduct to points of natural 

 history interest. These points being settled by spontaneous 

 action of the main body oi members and associates, the Cow- 

 thorpe district was the first visited by the Union under its now 

 well-known title and initials, and the first scene of actual field 

 work. And that day was the forerunner oi many meetings at 

 which new friendships were formed and old ones more firmly 

 cemented. 



The President went on to say that to himself the 21st Ma}- 

 1877 was memorable, as it first brought him into contact with 

 Mr. John Emmet, the great pioneer of natural history research 

 in those parts, and one of the most valued of the Union's sup- 

 porters to the day of his death. At that time also Dr. Wesley, 

 of Weiherby ; Mr. John Harrison, of Wilstrop ; Mr. J. Tennant, 

 of Skewkirk ; and Mr. W. J. Milligan, of Wetherby, were 

 prominent as local workers, and afterwards their number was 

 reinforced by Dr. Arnold Lees, who came to that district as the 

 successor to Dr. Wesley. Of the survivors, the Union were 

 fortunate in still having the services of Mr. J. Jackson and 

 Mr. R. Andrews. Xa.ur.iiist. 



