puesident’s address. 
293 
ono, and properly include.s the study of all organised beings, living 
and dead. At ono end the ground is, to a very considerable extent, 
occupied by the Geological Society, which exists in Xorwich ; yet 
even in this department we have had, as I have said, some very 
valuable contributions during the year. But at the other end, 
wliich embraces the study of minute or microscopic life, not onl}' 
have wo had no contributions during the past session, but I find, 
on looking over the past numbers of our ‘ Transactions,’ that the 
papers dealing with tliis part of the world’s life, have been both 
few and far between. Tliero have been, as wo know, some great 
and valuable exceptions, such as the papers read by Mr. Kitton, 
the address by Mr. Plowright, a portion of the addre.ss read by 
the President, ^Ir. Sutton, two years ago, and, perhaps, ono or two 
others. Still the small part which microscopical records and 
observations play in our annals is both noticeable and regrettable, — 
the more so, because in consequence of the decease of the old 
^Norwich Microscopical Society, I believe that no public or 
systematic work in this direction is now being carried on in this 
city. And yet, partly in consequence of the larger forms of life 
having now been so largely studied, but still more in con.sequence 
of the new views as to the universality and far-reaching importance 
of microscopic living beings, — there is probabl}" no phase of 
natural history which is now more engaging general attention, 
or which is being more eagerly studied and investigated 
elsewhere. 
Mr. Sutton, in his presidential address of 1884 — 85, gave a 
most learned and interesting description of some of the micro- 
scopical researches which had been carried on up to that time, and 
further gave us a most lucid account of the influence which micro- 
organisms had been shown to exert in the process of nitrification 
in soils, an iniluence M'hich had formerly been considered to be 
due to purely chemical action. 
I trust I may be foi-given if I recall your attention for a few 
moments to this subject of Germ life, more particularly as it 
branches out and develoj^s in a more vital direction; in other words 
as it affects human and animal life. 
