Midland Union of Natural History Societies.
Annual Meeting at Birmingham.
The business of the First Annual Meeting of the Union commenced at Birmingham on Monday, May 27th. The Council met at twelve o'clock and, having transacted the necessary preliminary business, adjourned to the Queen's Hotel, where, at half-past one o'clock, the President of the Union, Mr. Edmund Tonks, B.C.L., entertained them and the officers and past Presidents of the Birmingham Natural History and Microscopical Society, and some other of his Birmingham friends, at luncheon. At three o'clock the Annual Meeting of Members was held in the Lecture Theatre of the Birmingham and Midland Institute, the President in the chair. There was a large attendance, including Dr. Cobbold, F.E.S., (London,) Rev. W. H. Elliot, (Caradoc Field Club,) Rev. C. F. Thornewill, (Burton-upon-Trent Natural History and Archaeological Society,) Rev. O. M. Feilden and Rev. G. G. Monck, (Oswestry and Welshpool Naturalists' Field Club,) Major Barnard, (Cheltenham Natural Science Society,) Mr. C. T. Musson and Mr. A. H. Simpson, (Nottingham Naturalists' Society,) Mr. I. Mosley, (Nottingham Literary and Philosophical Society.) Mr. E. B. Marten and Mr. E. Hollier, (Dudley, &c., Geological Society,) Mr. G. New and the Rev. J. C. Odgers, (Evesham Field Naturalists' Club,) Mr. T. Heath, (Derbyshire Naturalists' Society,) Rev. Dr. Deane, Rev. H. W. Crosskey; Messrs. W. E. Hughes, S. Allport, Sam. Timmins, T. Anderton, Lawson Tait, C. J. Woodward, W. G. Blatch, G. H. Twigg, W. H. Cos, C. E. B. Hewitt, and many others, including several ladies, and the Hon. Secs, to the Council, Mr. W. J. Harrison, (Leicester,) and Mr.Edward W. Badger, (Birmingham.)
The circular convening the meeting having been read, the President delivered the following
Inaugural Address.
As this is the first general meeting of the Associated Natural History, Philosophical and Archaeological Societies and Field Clubs of the Midland Counties, it is a matter of regret that the association at a period of its existence so critical has not as its President some member distinguished by his researches in Natural Science, and experienced in the organisation of scientific study, who might have guided its first steps in the right direction, and elaborated a scheme for its future action worthy of the occasion whereas I, who am versed in no department of Science or Philosophy, and have only the accidental qualification for the office of being the President for the year of the Society, some of whose more active Members originated this Union, can only perform perfunctorily the duty devolved on me by my position.
Under these circumstances the time of the meeting will be more profitably expended in considering and discussing the best means of perfecting the organisation of the Society than in listening to my crude remarks it will therefore be my duty to make these remarks as brief
