102 THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS.
fail in science ? Still I fear the absence often of the most rudimen-
tary knowledge on the part of many members renders their field day
a mere pleasurable country walk, or drive, as the case may be; the
same want often lessens the interest and value of our meetings at
which papers are read and lectures given. If the allegation be true, I
would ask both our "Conductors" and "Conductees" to remember
this want. On the one side I should wish our members to feel it to
be a duty they owe to the Club to obtain this elementary knowledge
in any subject announced in the programmes, now-a-days, happily,
not a difficult task; and as to the "Conductors," I beg of them to
bear in mind this ever present deficiency, and endeavour, if possible,
to counteract it.
It is a great thing to have an object in view in excursions of this
sort, and I know a most ardent and successful collector of insects in
this county who never goes out on an expedition without a list of
species that he may reasonably expect to meet with, and of which
he is in search; failing to obtain one, he consults his list, and turns
his attention to the pursuit of another. Both observation and col-
lecting must be systematic if they are to be really successful.
On behalf of the reporter I should like to say that one pair of eyes
cannot see everything, nor one pencil be made to note all that is
said of interest, nor can one person be sufficiently versed in the
various branches of natural history and other studies that are brought
within the scope of any given excursion. Our present excellent
Secretary does all in his power to render the reports worthy of per-
manent preservation, and he should receive all the aid we can give
him in recording our proceedings; it is only a manifest duty to him
and to the Club.
Generally we, as members of one association, should be always
ready to benefit by mutual aid and co-operation, and be as willing
to give as to receive information. The good fellowship existing
between members of our Club should allow of this on all occasions.
The interchange of opinion and sentiment thus personally enjoyed,
and the friendly discussions allowable during the business of a field
day, should, and ought to, tend to elucidate truth or to correct erroneous
ideas. With very little preliminary preparation on behalf of mem-
bers, the Club must become an instrument of instruction, to ourselves
first, and, through the publication of our Proceedings, to the world at
large, and to those who may come after us. Prof. Meldola has
reminded us, in his "Inaugural Address" (Trans: E.F.C, i, p. 5)