West : Cryptogamic Bepoet foe 1880. 



133 



The aims, then, of Natural History societies must be based upon 

 the great principle of protecting as well as observing the objects of their 

 study — a study which is so engrossing, and contributes so markedly 

 towards lighting up the deep shadows in our lives. 



One important feature of the Field Naturalists' societies is, that they 

 are in direct opposition to the miserable skeletonised mockery of a 

 closet naturalist. Let it be the object of all naturalists to study the 

 out-door features of Nature : not to be annihilating all that is rare 

 or beautiful to satisfy a too -frequent craving for collecting. But 

 rather let them be collectors of historical details and facts in the 

 life-history of plants and animals. Finally, the true naturalist must 

 so guide and control his study that, in the eagerness to possess, he 

 will not abdicate his position as a man — and " pity the plumage, but 

 forget the dying bird." 



YOKKSHIRE NATURALISTS' UNION.— CRYPTOGAMIC 

 REPORT FOR 1880. 



By Wm. West, Cryptogamic Secretary. 



Cue " Transactions" have hitherto (up to the end of 1879) included a 

 record of what has been done during the year by members of the 

 Union at the meetings, and also a record of the best work done in 

 Yorkshire by members privately. It is now wished that this part of 

 the labours of the Union may appear in the organ of the Union — the 

 Naturalist — and that the Transactions in future shall consist of 

 systematic and thoroughly authentic lists of the recent and fossil 

 fauna and flora of the county as complete as it is possible to provide 

 them, and of additions to such lists. Repetition of records should be 

 avoided as far as possible ; I therefore do not intend to re-mention 

 anything that has already appeared in the reports of the Union 

 meetings as given in the Naturalist. 



When we state what number of Cryptogams have been collected at 

 the meetings of the Union, we speak with regard to those fully 

 recognised in the field or at the meetings, also in the report in the 

 Naturalist we speak of those recognised up to the date of writing the 

 report ; but in addition to these there is usually a surplus left un- 

 worked up, and it is mostly for these remnants that we are indebted 

 for anything now mentioned. A large number of these " arrears " are 

 still unexamined, so that until these are exhausted we cannot fully 

 estimate the work accomplished by means of the " rambles." 



