280 
THE MIDLAND UNION. 
Dec., 1889. 
Tuesday. 
Arrangements had been made on this day for an excursion 
to Shotover Hill, where Mr. Poulton had proposed to deliver 
a discourse upon the geology of the district. From an early 
hour, however, it was seen that the weather would make any 
attempt of this kind a disastrous failure, and, much to the 
regret alike of hosts and guests, it had to be abandoned. 
With ready courtesy, however, the Ashmolean Museum was 
opened, and Mr. Balfour, who had undertaken to give up his 
afternoon to the guests, most courteously sacrificed his morn¬ 
ing also. To this museum most of the visitors made then- 
way, and examined, at greater leisure than had been possible 
on the previous evening, its invaluable contents, while Mr. 
Balfour explained the most interesting items in the Pitt- 
Kivers Anthropological Collection, and Professor Westwood 
talked over his favourite butterflies and moths. 
At about one o’clock a company, numbering between 
eighty and ninety guests, sat down to luncheon in the Hall 
of Christ Church, where an excellent collation was provided. 
The President (Mr. E. B. Poulton), occupied the chair, while 
the vice-cliairs were filled by Mr. G. C. Druce, M.A., Mr. 
H. M. J. Underhill, and Professor Hillliouse (Birmingham). 
At the close of the luncheon, 
Professor Hillhouse rose and said he believed that that 
would be the last occasion upon which they would all meet 
together, and, therefore, it would be the last opportunity they 
would have of offering to their hosts the tribute of their 
thanks—(applause). As to the merits of their hosts, he hardly 
thought that any words of his could possibly paint them in 
fitting aspect. They had seen them as business people; they 
had had them as their guides in their various pleasant occu¬ 
pations during the preceding twenty-four hours, and many had 
appreciated their hospitality in more private capacity. He ven¬ 
tured to say that in no previous meeting of that Union—cer¬ 
tainly no meeting for the last eight or ten years—had the duties 
of hosts been attended to with so much assiduity or with so 
much success as on the present occasion. He asked those 
present, as representatives of the Midland Union of Natural 
History Societies, to accord to the Oxford Society a most 
hearty vote of thanks for their kindness and courtesy, and 
