[2] In 1885, the Union wrote a letter to The Times (published 6 July) pointing out "that many of our rarest and most beautiful native plants have already been, or are being, rapidly exterminated" due to over-enthusiastic collection by both botanists and professional dealers, and calling for measures to reduce this loss.

[4] The last press reports on the Union's activities appeared in the Birmingham Daily Post in August 1894, when:[5] In proposing a vote of thanks to the out-going president, Mr. Jebb said Mr. Wilkinson had stuck to the union in a crisis, and he hoped there was now a brighter time in store for them.A journal, The Midland Naturalist, subtitled "The Journal of The Associated Natural History, Philosophical, and Archæologigal Societies and Field Clubs of the Midland Counties", was published from 1878 to 1893.

[15] At least one species description was published in the journal, that for the edible fungus Russula claroflava, whose type specimen was found in Sutton Park by William Bywater Grove in 1888.

[18] The reverse featured the wording "The Darwin Medal / Awarded to / Founded by the Midland Union of Natural History Societies 1880,", with space on a cartouche for the recipient's name, year and subject area, and below that a depiction of a branch of coral.

Recipients included:[17] The Birmingham Daily Post article of August 1894 noted an agreement that, with the demise of The Midland Naturalist, the prize "should in future be awarded to the author of the best paper on a given subject in a newspaper or journal within the area of the union".