230 Fowler: Presidential Address to Lincs. Naturalists’ Union. 
found; while, on the other hand, if the botanist meets with 
a plant infested by galls, or denuded of its leaves, he can learn 
from the entomologist what the insects or larva are which have 
been the cause. We are field-naturalists, but we are a unzon of 
field-naturalists, ready to receive or give help as occasion may 
arise ; chiefly interested, no doubt, in our favourite study, but 
not so absorbed in it as to work only for ourselves and to be 
indifferent with regard to all knowledge which is not directly 
~ peta with geology, botany, or zoology as the case may be. 
e collectors of natural history objects, but we are not 
isisctics only. e times at which, the circumstances under 
which, the places in which, they occur are noted by us, and 
their mutual relations are studied by us. We collect, not in 
order to be able to say we have a larger number of specimens 
than others, but in order to draw conclusions as to the distribu- 
tion of animal and vegetable life, in time and space, or to enable 
others to draw them. Hewett Cottrell Watson was a collector 
of plants, and the head of a band of collectors, but those who 
are acquainted with his works know what valuable service he 
rendered by his topographical division of Britain, by his demar- 
cation of climatic zones, by his grouping of species under six 
types of distribution. It is only when collection of specimens 
is regarded as an end, and not as a means to an end, that it can 
be said to be of little value. It was once said to me, ‘any fool 
can collect,’ but my reply was, ‘Yes, but it is not any fool who 
can see the significance of what is collected.’ 
Now our work, I take it, as Lincolnshire field naturalists is, 
to find and record what our county contains in the first instance, 
and from the results and comparison with those obtained in 
other counties, to draw what conclusions we can in the second. 
Ba 
Secretary has not only made several additions to it himself, but 
has stirred up many others to search for and send to him 
records and specimens, which have taught us much as to their 
distribution and as to the soils on which they grow, and which 
a flora of Lincolnshire is written, his systematic and exhaustive 
Legros of ee will pomsmensits Laval the labour of f the 
"Naturalist, s 
