351 



FORTIETH ANNUAL REPORT. 



Your Committee is once more in the position to report favourably 

 upon the substantial progress made by the Club during a year 

 which completes the fortieth of its existence. 



During the twelve months ending December 31st, 1905, forty- 

 eight new members were elected. Although this is two less than 

 the number elected in 1904, it is considerably above the average 

 for the past ten years, which is only 3 7 '6. During the year, 

 twenty-three members were lost through resignation, and one 

 was removed for non-payment of subscriptions. Nine have died, 

 several of whom were very well known to all active members, and 

 obituary notices of two of them — viz. Mr. J. G. Waller, an 

 ex-President, and Mr. J. Slade — will be found in the Journal. 

 The others are Dr. J. B. Scriven, Mr. N. D. Warne, Mr. A. W. 

 Bird, Mr. W. M. Young, Mr. T. J. Barratt, Mr. J. H. Garnar, 

 and Mr. C. Hoole. In common with the whole world of micro- 

 scopists, the Club has also to deplore the death of the late Dr. E. 

 Abbe, one of the oldest and most distinguished of its honorary 

 members, who died on January 14th, 1905. 



The wastage due to resignations, though no larger than usual, 

 is a matter deserving the consideration of the Club, inasmuch as 

 it neutralises to a very large extent the influx of new members. 

 The bulk of the resignations come from members of quite recent 

 election, and are no doubt largely due to a sense of strangeness in 

 new surroundings. A new member frequently has no intimate 

 acquaintances in the Club ; he attends a few meetings after his 

 election, wanders aimlessly about the room, feels a stranger and 

 comes no more, resigning at the end of the first or second year. 



