i 
YORKSHIRE NATURALISTS' UNION. 
disposition endears his memory to myself and all who knew 
him. His admirable list of the Birds of Wakefield is almost the 
only published record of his work, but he was an excellent 
lepidopterist, and a warm-hearted and enthusiastic observer of 
Nature in all her aspects. He died in 1882. 
In September, 1861, a meeting was held at Heckmondwike 
for the purpose of founding a Naturalists' Society for that town, 
when the Heckmondwike naturalists were supported by about 
sixty others from the Huddersfield, Halifax, and Wakefield 
Societies. At this meeting Mr. Talbot introduced the question 
of the advisability of more combined and organised intercourse, 
and pointed out the mutual benefits which would accrue. He 
was warmly supported by others, and then on his motion it was 
unanimously resolved to form a Union of Societies for the pur- 
pose of holding joint meetings periodically at the various places 
where societies had already been established. 
Thus the Heckmondwike Naturalists' Society, and the 
Union which is now our own, were founded on the same day 
and at the same meeting, and it is to the credit of the Heckmond- 
wike Naturalists' Society that it is the only one which has uninter- 
ruptedly kept up its connection with the Union from that day to 
this, a period of forty-two years. Moreover, the headquarters 
of the Union were at Heckmondwike during the years 1861 and 
1862, and from 1870 to 1877. 
It furnished during each of these periods the Secretary to 
the Union, and in 1870 a Heckmondwike member became its 
first President. 
May we hope that the Heckmondwike Society may long 
flourish as the premier Society in our Union. 
A further meeting was held on the 18th January, 1862, at 
which the objects were defined, rules drawn up, and arrange- 
ments made for the holding of meetings. The name was also 
decided upon, and the new-born federation was called the 
" West Riding Consolidated Naturalists' Society," a title which 
it retained until changed to that which it now bears. 
A constitution was printed a year or two later, in which its 
object was stated to be " the effectual advancement of local 
natural science," for, by the various Societies " meeting together, 
having a kindly interchange of thought, and becoming acquainted 
with the natural history of the districts of each other, a more 
rapid dissemination of knowledge is attained, and facilities 
afforded for the better acquisition, exhibition, and exchange of 
specimens. " 
As to the organisation of the Union of this time, it was 
extremely simple. There was only one office-bearer, the Secre- 
tary. No President was found necessary, as the President of 
the Society in the place of meeting was appointed to preside. 
The contribution was to be, as it still is, for Societies in the 
Union, one penny per member. The meetings were to be 
