180 
THE GEOLOGIST. 
and an opportunity offering to possess a few rare specimens 
at a small expense^ they availed themselves of it^ and thus 
formed the nucleus of the present collection. 
Having reported upon the past proceedings of your Society, 
your Committee trust they may be permitted to allude briefly 
to a few points which may conduce to the permanent welfare 
of the Institution. 
In the first place it must be remembered that, being merely 
a Branch of the Dudley Society^ your efforts should tend 
principally to elevate the importance of the Parent body. 
Some individuals have expressed an opinion that the mem- 
bers in Wolverhampton should become an independent for- 
mation.'^ The policy of this would be doubtful, even if you 
possessed an abundance of working bees in your own hive : — 
without them, it is far better to go hand in hand with the 
Parent in mutual interchange of information and good offices. 
The fame of the Dudley and Midland Geological Society 
has gone forth through the length and breadth of the land, 
and there is not a collection of importance in any part of the 
globe which does not boast of its Dudley fossils. The 
bright beaming light" which hangs over the Parent Society 
must necessarily shed its influence on her satellite, and it will 
be well if the labours of your members are in emulation of 
the indefatigable industry and great scientific acquirements of 
the originators and leading members of the Parent Society 
resident in Dudley. 
It may be asked, how is your assistance to be given ? Your 
Committee submit that any investigations originated by the 
Parent Society, especially in the details of the Mining Dis- 
tricts, may be materially aided by several of your practical 
members ; an instance may be given in the report on the 
Igneous Rocks, read at the first quarterly meeting in Dudley, 
wherein a valuable mass of original information connected 
