Speaking of Ants generically, we all doubtless accept King Solomon’s authority upon this point, and we shall not forget that the Roman poet, Virgil, writing just before the Christian era, expressed himself to the same effect.
“Ac veluti ingentem formicæ farris acervum
Cum populant, hyemis memores, tectoque reponunt.”
Whilst Cicero says:
“In formica non modo sensus, sed etiam mens, ratio, memoria.”
Lastly, did time and inclination permit, I might have found endless interest in observing the habits of the vast quantities of Worms (again with the aid of Sir John Lubbock) which inhabit my grass-plot; or those of the Snails; or of the Slugs, which exist in equally innumerable quantities in the garden soil. Both these latter classes of animals appear to be made to be eaten, as they largely furnish food for the birds. They prefer damp or wet weather, and to some degree are excellent weather-glasses or weather prophets. As we all know, they roam or sail about on rainy evenings. But it is curious to observe also the special instinct by which in dry periods the Snails will become aware of watered or damp earth at a considerable distance, and how they will in the night cross a large breadth of dry, or even dusty earth, to reach a spot of ground where plants have been watered on the previous evening. I need scarcely remind you that these land mollusks, the Snails, and still more the Slugs, are creatures with super-excellent appetites for the garden plants.
I have now, in conclusion, not only to apologize to this Society for the length of my paper, but, perhaps, also for having brought it before you at all.
I did not venture to do so until I had asked our excellent and experienced Secretary whether he considered that a few such popular or surface notes, even if containing little that is new, would be acceptable, or even appropriate, to such a learned body. My real object has been less to state what I have personally observed than to show what a large field still exists in our city centres (as indeed everywhere) for a naturalistic use of whatever out-door opportunities are present; and to illustrate the principle that even in the smallest and least promising city gardens or spaces, the materials for interest and self-instruction are ever present, and practically inexhaustible; that here, as elsewhere, and everywhere, we may “read, and read again, and still find something new; something to please, and something to instruct.”
VII.
PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS. [72]
Ladies and Gentlemen—Another of our Society’s years has come to a close this day, and it devolves upon me to say a few final words before yielding up this presidential chair. In doing so, my chief desire is to repeat my thanks to the members for having placed me in so honourable a position, and for their kindness in sustaining me throughout the various evening meetings of the session.
It is a matter of much congratulation that these meetings have continued to be well attended, and that the Society itself has continued thoroughly to fill that position of scientific usefulness which was hoped for it at its first inauguration, now eighteen years ago. Such a lapse of time gives the opportunity of seeing how much good work has in the aggregate been done. And though, no doubt, in looking back through our volumes it will be found that different years have produced a varying amount of work judged by its importance, yet on the average we have reason to be well satisfied with what the successive numbers show us, seeing that the total represents a very important collection indeed of natural history facts and information. The work of the present year has, I think, fully maintained the good average attained in other sessions.