69 
from the quiet retirement of their studies. Many of them 
are content with a less share of worldly things than satis- 
fies us ; hence we find amongst them a much larger number 
of men who make scientific research the business of a life 
than is to be found here. We have around us an earnest 
band of amateurs who turn from their special callings at the 
close of the day to such branches of natural science as they 
severally select for the recreations of the evening and of the 
holiday; but such interrupted and superficial studies, invalu- 
able as they are to the students themselves— and I believe 
that we can scarcely exaggerate that value — are insufficient 
to supply the deeper want upon which I have dwelt. I can 
only trust that we shall all be roused during the coming ses- 
sion to grapple with some of the profound biological questions 
that are now before the world asking for solution ; and that 
we may thus contribute, in some humble degree, to remove 
the reproach which I fear deservedly rests upon us, of being 
satisfied with the more easily followed and superficial lines 
of enquiry, instead of striving boldly to sink our plumb- 
lines into the deepest abysses of the vast ocean of undis- 
covered truth. 
Mr. H. A. Hurst read a Paper “ On the Flora of Alex- 
andria (Egypt)/’ illustrated by a series of specimens collected 
by himself. 
“On the Destruction of the Barer Species of British 
Ferns,” by Joseph Sidebotham, F.RA.S. 
The object of the writer was to protest strongly against 
the destruction of many of the rare species of our native 
ferns. He mentioned four districts in Lancashire, Derby- 
shire, Westmorland, and Wales, and gave lists of ferns which 
he had found abundantly in them 25 years ago, all of which 
have now entirely disappeared, or have become exceedingly 
rare. Since fern collecting became a sort of fashion a few 
