48 REPORT 1891. 



History Societies might do a great deal towards persuading holiday 

 makers and tourists that it is far better, far safer, and, in the long run, 

 far cheaper, to buy these plants from nurserymen who grow them, than 

 to incur the trouble, expense, and risk of removing tbem at a time when 

 the conditions are so unfavourable as they are during practically tbe 

 holiday season, and that they might do something towards restraining 

 the robbers themselves. 



Mr. Hopkinson stated that nearly the whole of the ferns in his dis- 

 trict (St. Albans) had disappeared within the last twenty years. He 

 attributed the extermination to the London collectors and dealers, and 

 added that there was a danger of such a common plant as the prim- 

 rose becoming exterminated in time from the London district, as they 

 were taken to the metropolis by cartloads every year. 



Mr. Sowerbutts called attention to the inefficacy of the law of trespass 

 in such cases, as no penalty can be inflicted unless damage is proved. 

 He considered the worst depredator to be the botanical fanatic. 



Mr. Gray did not think that the true botanist would be guilty of such 

 wilful destruction. Tbey had a special rule among their Society that no 

 rare plant should be damaged or removed. One class of offenders to be 

 dealt with were the persons who, without any knowledge of the habits of 

 a rare species, liked to see it growing about their premises, and for this 

 reason had it removed. If these persons were taught that it is often 

 impossible for such plants to live away from their natural conditions their 

 depredations might perhaps be checked. 



Mr. M. B. Slater said that he had known many lovers of plants in his 

 district (Malton) who would tramp many miles in search of a rare species. 

 Although in a sense these men were botanical fanatics he did not think 

 that they were the depredators. It was the young beginner in the study 

 of botany who, in his opinion, should be cautioned against exterminating 

 any rare plant in his anxiety to procure specimens. He suggested that 

 the best plan would be to endeavour to procure at the proper time a little 

 ripe seed from the plant in its native habitat, and then to try and raise 

 it. This would be the means of saving from destruction some of our 

 greatest rarities. Mr. Slater had adopted this plan himself, and had 

 growing under cultivation some of the rarer and most interesting of 

 British plants. He believed the extension of agriculture to have been 

 one great cause of the disappearance of local species, and by obtaining 

 seeds, or even in extreme cases the plants themselves, some species might 

 be saved from destruction. Although some practical difficulties might be 

 encountered, he thought that with perseverance these would be overcome, 

 and the student would certainly derive great advantage from trying to 

 cultivate his plants. If successful he would thus attain a far better 

 knowledge of their life histories, as he would be enabled to watch the 

 plants through their various stages of growth. 



Investigation of the Invert ehr ate Fauna and Cryptogamic Flora of the 

 British Isles.^The Rev. E. P. Knubley stated that no formal report of the 

 work of this Committee had been presented to the Section, but that the 

 Yorkshire Naturalists' Union had been steadily carrying on the work 

 during the past year. 



