I 
THE MIDLAND NATURALIST. 
“Come forth into the light of things, 
Let Nature be your teacher.” 
Wordsworth. 
PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS.* 
BY K. W. CHASE. 
Last year, when you conferred upon me the honour of 
electing me President of your Society, I undertook the office 
with considerable diffidence and misgiving, feeling that I was 
not competent to satisfactorily carry on the various duties of 
that position; but through the assistance and consideration 
shown me, not only by my colleagues on committee, but 
also by every member with whom I have been brought 
in contact, 1 have been able to get through my year 
of office, and I now take the opportunity of thanking one 
and all for their kind courtesy, as without it I should not 
have been able to fulfil my duties either to the advantage of 
our society—which we all desire to do—or with comfort and 
pleasure to myself. 
Consequent upon being President, I have made the 
acquaintance of many members, and I hope I may say the 
friendship of not a few, which I trust may be further cemented 
in years to come, and if for this reason alone, I shall always 
look back upon my official year with pleasure. 
Before entering upon the special subject I have chosen 
for my address to you this evening, I should like to mention 
one or two matters connected with our society which have 
occurred during the year. You will see from the annual 
report that the work of the society has been carried on as 
usual, details of which are set out fully in that report, there¬ 
fore it is unnecessary for me to make any comments. 
One subject I wish to draw your attention to is connected 
with our soirees, which, on account of the Midland Union of 
Natural History Societies meeting in Birmingham last year, 
was held in the summer instead of winter in conjunction 
with that meeting, and would have been successful in every 
way if the attendance had been larger. The falling off is 
* Transactions of the Birmingham Natural History and Micro¬ 
scopical Society. 
