508 peesident's address. 



in that particular branch of Natural History which is their pecu- 

 liar forte, to those of our members less learned than themselves, 

 but who yet long to drink deeper draughts from Nature's stream. 

 The ornithologist, the botanist, the geologist, would thus often 

 be able to create and foster an interest in their special and fa- 

 vourite study, which none would rejoice more than themselves 

 to see awakened in another. I know, from my own early expe- 

 rience, how hard it is, even with the best of books, and such an 

 extensive library as that of the British Museum at command, to 

 solve difficulties which would vanish often with two minutes 

 verbal explanation from some well skilled friend. 



I think, too, that possibly some scheme might be hit upon by 

 which our Club might do more than has been done to j)opu- 

 larize the study of Natural History in other ways. I have the 

 most pleasing recollections of my old friend (if I may be allowed 

 to call him so) Professor Sedgwick's peripatetic lectui'es in the 

 Geological Museum at Cambridge, and many an Oxford man 

 yet lives who has wandered with Buckland in his excursions 

 through field and flood and returned a wiser man. Now, if we 

 could manage to organize, in any way. Field Classes for mem- 

 bers desirous of following out any particular branch of Natural 

 History, I think that new zeal would be imparted to our work, 

 and a very wide and fruitful field be opened up for the labours 

 of the Club. 



I have wished for years past that we could, as a Club, take 

 up the study of the habits of our sea fishes. It is very nearly 

 an unknown subject, strange as the assertion raaj sound to 

 some ; but though we have caught and eaten fish almost from 

 the creation, yet to this hour is an open question, to which no 

 man can give a positive answer, as to whether the cod, the had- 

 dock, and other similar fishes shed their spawn on the ground 

 like the salmon, or whether it floats about in the sea like the 

 brood of the oyster ! Of course there would be difficulties in 

 carrying out such enquiries ; but surely the same energy and 

 perseverance and self-denial, which have led to such wonderful 

 results in other branches of investigation, might well be applied 

 with at least equal success to this, which is a matter of yearly 



