THE
PRESIDENT'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
Delivered February 28th, 1880.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Before proceeding to consider the objects and
functions of the "Epping Forest and County of Essex Natu-
ralist's Field Club," it is my pleasing duty to return thanks
for the honour which you have conferred upon me in electing
me as your first President. In taking upon myself the
honourable duties of this position, which I shall endeavour to
discharge to the best of my ability, I cannot but regret that
this chair is not occupied by some gentleman having more
claim than myself to be considered as a naturalist. Although
long devoted to this study, the pressure of work of more
immediate necessity has left me without the time necessary
to follow up the subject with that persistency so necessary for
the achievement of useful results in any branch of science. I
accept the position with the more pleasure, however, as
having been a former inhabitant of the Forest District, and a
constant frequenter of the Forest itself, in whose glades my
own early tastes for field natural history first found full scope
for gratification.
As already stated in our preliminary circulars, considering
the proximity of Epping Forest to London, and the fine field
which it offers to the naturalist, it is a matter of surprise that
no such Society as that which we may now congratulate our-
selves upon having called into existence has hitherto been
formed. The idea of establishing such a Club has long been
present, although but vaguely, in the minds of many habitues
of the Forest and surrounding country, but no defined scheme
was broached till our energetic Honorary Secretary, Mr.