PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS 
TO THE LINCOLNSHIRE NATURALISTS’ UNION. 
DELIVERED 9TH NOVEMBER 1897. 
Rev. Canon W. W. FOWLER, M.A., F.L.S., F.E.S., 
Lincoln. 
ALTHOUGH as far as the number of members is concerned the 
Lincolnshire Naturalists’ Union remains in almost the same 
position as last year, evidence is not wanting that the interest in 
the Union and in the natural history of the county generally is 
developments. One thing, however, becomes more and more 
plain, and that is, that if the Union is to be settled upon a firm 
basis it requires a resting place and a home for the results of its 
work, and for the results of the work of past and future 
generations of naturalists and antiquaries who have belonged 
to the county. In short, if Lincolnshire is to rank with other 
counties in scientific matters, as it is eminently fitted to do, 
a county museum, in the widest sense of the term, becomes an 
imperative necessity. Much has been already done, and much 
more perhaps may be done by utilising the rooms in Lincoln 
Castle, which have been kindly lent by the County Committee ; 
but the rooms at present in use are rather regarded as store 
rooms than as an actual museum. There is no guarantee, 
people think, that things will be taken care of and preserved, 
and few therefore are willing to send valuable specimens whic 
would come in in large quantities if a fitting museum were 
founded. The Union hoped much from the kindness of the late 
Mr. Ruston, who, as an honorary member of the Museum 
_ Committee, expressed himself as very favourable to the estab- 
lishment of a museum, but his recent much-regretted death 
obliges us to wait until help comes from some other quarter. 
Meanwhile a most important matter has come to the front and 
calls for immediate action. Mrs. Cross, widow of the late 
Canon Cross, has offered her husband’s transit and probably his 
equatorial telescopes, which are very valuable instruments, to 
the city of Lincoln on condition that a suitable observatory for 
their reception is provided by June 1899; it will surely be 
a disgrace to the county of Sir Isaac Newton if, through want of 
Proper accommodation, these instruments are allowed to go to 
February 1899. 
