president’s address. 
339 
the only field-outing was that made on June 27 tli by rail to Holt, 
and thence by road to Weybourn and Sherringham. This was 
attended by nine members and friends, and was chiefly of a Botanical 
nature. For this shortcoming in the way of excursions you must, 
I fear, hold your President responsible ; but I hope that this 
important function of our Society will not be neglected, and that 
directors each year will be found to undertake Botanical, Zoological, 
and Geological expeditions. 
Our first object is “the practical study of Natural Science;” 
and this means the advancement of all knowledge relating to 
the Geology and Geography, the Botany and Zoology of Norfolk. 
How well this object has been carried out our ‘Transactions’ 
sufficiently show. It is true that in the earlier days of the 
Society, Geology was left mainly in the hands of the older 
Norwich Geological Society ; but the subject was by no means 
ignored by us. The first President, the Pev. Joseph Crompton, 
who “rocked the cradle” of this Society, was himself a student of 
Geology. The science lias been well represented in the presidential 
chair by Mr. ITarmer and Colonel Feilden ; and sundry communi- 
cations on the subject have been made from time to time bv 
various members. Since, however, we incorporated the Norwich 
Geological Society, in 1889, we have taken upon ourselves the 
chief responsibility of looking after the interests of local Geology. 
In this, as in all societies, the work depends on a comparatively 
small number of members ; and in provincial societies and field-clubs 
it is unlikely that every branch of natural science will be con- 
tinuously and adequately represented. Hence the subjects that 
occupy a foremost place in the field or in the meeting-room vary 
in different societies and at different times. 
With us both Botany and Zoology have received full attention, 
the chief shortcoming being in the matter of the Recent Marine 
Invertebrata — a large subject that has at present occupied but little 
space in our ‘Transactions.’ 
The bibliography of Natural History has assumed proportions so 
gigantic, that I think we and other local societies should do our 
best to aid the investigator by publishing only those papers that 
