MIDLAND UNION OF NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETIES. 
193 
MIDLAND UNION OF NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETIES. 
ELEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING, NORTHAMPTON, 
JULY 4th and 5th. 
Tlie Eleventh Annual Meeting of the Midland Union, 
which was held at Northampton, on the 4th and 5tli July, 
will be remembered, by those who were fortunate enough to 
be present, as one of great interest and enjoyment. The 
arrangements which the Northamptonshire Natural History 
Society and Fmld Club had made for the comfort and 
convenience of the visitors were excellently carried out, the 
hospitality so courteously extended was appreciated to the 
full, and altogether the Meeting was quite a successful one. 
The Northampton Society had arranged for the holding of 
the Soiree and one of the Excursions in conjunction with 
the Annual Meeting of the Northamptonshire Architectural 
Society, and this gave the members of the Midland Union 
unusual facilities for the study of tlie fine churches visited on 
the 5 tli. 
Delegates were present from the following Societies:— 
Birmingham Natural History and Microscopical Society, 
Birmingham Philosophical Society, Birmingham and Midland 
Institute Scientific Society, Northamptonshire Natural 
History Society and Field Club, Oswestry and Welshpool 
Naturalists’ Field Club, Oxfordshire Natural History Society 
and Field Club, Rugby School Natural History Society, 
Tamworth Natural History, Geological, and Antiquarian 
Society. 
The principal business of the Council, over which the 
Rev. S. J. W. Sanders, D.D., presided, was to receive the 
report of the adjudicators for the Darwin Medal, and to 
determine on the award. The Report to the Annual Meeting 
was discussed and adopted, and a general discussion on the 
affairs of the Union took place. 
The General Annual Meeting was held in the Old Museum 
Room, under the presidency of the lit. Hon. Earl Spencer, 
K.G., who, in welcoming the Union to Northampton, gave an 
interesting address on the value of a general and intelligent 
study of Natural History as an addition to the enjoyment 
and interest of every-day life. In some later remarks he 
deplored the reckless killing of our native birds, instancing 
the Heronry at Althorp, and his constant fear lest the Herons 
should leave the place or be completely exterminated. 
The Rev. H. H. Slater, of the British Ornithologists’ 
Union, delivered an address on “ Insularity,” which will be 
published in a subsequent issue of the “ Midland Naturalist.” 
