99 
his connection with the Council. The vacancies caused by 
these and other retirements were duly filled up as provided 
by the bye-laws. 
One of the functions of a natural history society is the 
holding of field meetings, andif I mistake not such meetings 
are among the prescribed objects of this Society; but ‘it 
appears to me that the letter rather than spirit of the law 
has been acted upon during the past year or two. Meetings 
have been duly held and, as a rule, fairly well attended ; and I 
may add -and I do so from personal experience—that those 
members who have been present at any of them have tho- 
roughly enjoyed them; but I think there is yet a good deal 
more to be made of them. The controllable elements 
necessary to a successful meeting are the selection of a 
suitable site and thorough organisation. Weather is an un- 
controllable element, and may therefore be at once dismissed 
from our calculations; we have no alternative in any case 
but to take the risk of it. Despite the rapid growth of 
‘‘ereater London,” and the closing of many of the tracts of 
land on its borders, there are still within the compass of a 
Saturday afternoon’s outing many thousands of acres of 
heath and woodland, marsh and downs, open for all practical 
purposes, and easily come-at-able by the numerous railway 
systems having their termini in London. Many of these 
railways, moreover, are quite willing to give facilities in the 
way of reduced fares, and so forth, to parties travelling 
together, and there are but few places within the prescribed 
area where it is not possible to make the necessary commis- 
sariat arrangements for a very considerable party; there 
should, therefore, be no great difficulty in making the 
selection of a suitable site. ‘Organisation consists largely in 
making such arrangements as will be convenient to the 
largest number of members, and showing them that there is 
something to be gained in return for their expenditure of 
time. Matters of detail must of course be left to those who 
have the carrying out of each particular meeting. I know of 
no better opportunity for friendly intercourse among members 
than is offered by field meetings ; the restraint of the meeting 
room is thrown off, and there is a feeling of freedom in the 
open country that seems to give us fresh energy, fresh 
interest in the things around us, and I venture to hope that 
the question of field meetings may receive the early attention 
of the Council, and that they will be enabled to make such 
arrangements as will secure the attendance of an increased 
number of members. 
