president’s address. 
299 
Dr. Dallinger has spoken of the “ vast area of activity and 
research in this direction ; ” and Professor Huxley has said, “ that 
those who have toiled for the advancement of science are in a fair 
way of being overwhelmed by the realization of their wishes.” 
We appear indeed to be still only on tlie threshold of knowledge, 
to have merely touched the fringe of the vast and infinite life- 
liistory which tlie living world, that inexhaustible stream of life 
which wo see everywhere around us, contains. AVe are proud 
of the amount of our natural history knowledge. We think to 
have accumulated a large store of information as to that especially 
of our own district. AVe can point to the lists of animals and 
plants which the research of the members of our Society, and 
others, has so laboriously gathered together. And we can look to 
the stores of our Museum as illustrations of what has been done. 
And yet a little further consideration at once shows us how small a 
part this is of what is yet to be known. AA’’e know the gross form 
of the specimens ; we know something of tlieir habits during life ; 
and yet how little is this of what there is to be known about them. 
AVho is there of the most learned who can properly explain the 
meaning of one hundredth part of what these creatures present in 
form, size, colour, and intimate structure ? AVe have a general idea 
that their special peculiarities have relation to the two primary 
essentials of life, — the daily bread, and the perpetuation of the 
species, — but wo are largely unable to explain the raison d'etre 
of many of the commonest facts which they present. It will be a 
great day when we can also explain the object or utility of all the 
variations which they present. 
Of course I do not forget the powerful impulse given by the 
researches of Darwin in the direction of explaining the why and 
the wherefore. I only indicate how large a portion of this 
explanatory field is yet untilled. 
In this county a ^Naturalists’ Society will never lack either 
for material to work on, or for variety and interest of subject. 
Much, even in its grosser form, still remains to be learned. And 
the vast variety presented by the county, in respect of climate, 
soils, strata, heath, woodland, marsh, stagnant and running water, 
