entirely deserted us, five others virtually ceased to breed here, and 
several others are rapidly disappearing. ^Ir. Stevenson also, giving 
us from time to time the overflowings of that book, which is his 
only excuse for not having been your presidejit for the past, or 
allowing himself to be nominated for the coming year, lias brought 
before us facts of our local Ornithology touching “ Migration of 
Birds,” “Occurrence of Bare Visitors” — Richards Pipits, Shore Larks, 
Little Gulls, &c. — The “ ^lortality last spring amongst the Swallow 
Tribe,” and other topics for which I must refer you to our Trans- 
actions ; also an interesting paper on the “ Black Headed Gull,” 
read at the Scoulton excursion, which we are unfortunately unable 
to print; while his paper on the “ Meres on Wretham Heath " will 
be acknowledged to be one of the strong points of our first Trans- 
actions ; — the whole of his contributions, I hesitate not to say, 
forming an addition to the records of English Xatural History from 
our Society, which wiU be as welcome to naturalists far away from 
our corner of the land, as it is sound in character; and w*e hope they 
will bo continued for many years to come. !Mr. T. E. Gunn lias 
also kindly added to the interest of many of our meetings by 
exhibiting rare biixls which have come into his hands. To 
Mr. Crowfoot, of Beccles, we are indebted for some interesting notes 
on certain rare European birds and their eggs. 
On Entomology we began almost with !Mr. Crowfoot’s paper on 
the study of that science. Our country friends and Members are 
most valuable to us ; none more so than Mr. Crowfoot. Wo enjoy 
their company when they visit us or we visit them, but in his case 
we must regret that the Great Eastern Railway makes the 16 miles 
distance between Beccles and Norwich into at least sixty, besides the 
constant danger, even to hardy out-door naturalists as ourselves, of 
catching rheumatism and catarrh, and losing our temper by the 
weary delays at Haddiscoe and St. Olaves. If this obstacle could 
but be removed we should welcome Mr. Crowfoot oftener, and 
perhaps might gain from him, for ourselves and our city, far fuller 
scientific information than our papers can contain ! 
^Ir. Barrett with his observ'ations on a new farmer’s pest in 
barley, has borne out the hopes expressed, in my opening address, 
of the practical value of which our Society may be ; by his re- 
discovery of Hydrilla palustris, he has restored this species to the 
British list, and his captures of Xotliris verbascella will show our 
B 2 
