PROCEEDINGS. 219 



the President of the Society, and Messrs. Comber and Young. He now -wished 

 to refer to the grievous los-; which not only the Society but all lovers 

 of Nature in India had suffered through the departure home in May last of 

 Mr. E. H. Aitken. 



Mr. Aitken was one of the six founders of the Society and was its first 

 Honorary Secretary, working indefatigably as such from Septembi r 1883 until 

 March 1886, when he relinquished the post on his being transferred from 1 om- 

 bay. Mr. Aitken was also, with the Lite Mr. R. A. Sterndale, the first Editor 

 of our Journal, the first number of which was produced in January, .b>-6. 



Mr. Aitken's work on Natural History and, he might add the sti dy of man, 

 witness " Behind the Bungalow," written over the initials E. H. A., were well 

 known to all and must have been the means of first instilling into many a love 

 of the study of nature. 



His contributions to the Society's Journal had been many and varied, 

 as a glance at the General Index to our Journal would show; but, as was 

 said of the late Mr. Sterndale at a former Meeting, this gives no idea of 

 the extent to which the Society is indebted to him. His writings show us, 

 however, what manner of man he is — a lover and student of nature and not 

 merely a Museum Naturalist. 



Mr. Aitken was Secretary of the Insect Section from t'ie foundation of the 

 Society until the death of Mr. De Niceville, when he becan e the President of 

 the Section. He was elected a Vice-Presi .ent of the Societj in July, '9(2. 



Although absent from India the speaker was sure Mr. Auken's interest in 

 the Society would not cease. In the next number of the Journal there would 

 appear a note by Mr. Aitken written by him in the Red Sea on his journey 

 home. 



In conclusion he proposed that the Hon. Secretary should write to 

 Mr. Aitken conveying the regret of the members of the Society at his depar- 

 ture, their thanks for all he had done, and their wish that he would long 

 enjoy good health at home. 



Mr. James Macdonald, in seconding the motion, mentioned that it was whilst 

 Mr. Aitken was living in his house that the idea of forming the Natural History 

 Society was discussed and carried into effect by Mr. Aitken, his brother 

 Dr. Macdonald, and four other gen tU men, none of v\hcmweie now in India. 



The motion was carried with acclamation. 



PAPERS READ. 



The following papers were then read : — 



1. Statistical Notes on the Flora of the Bombay Presidency by Eev. E. 

 Blatter, S. J. ; 2. Shot-borers in Bamboos, by E. P. Stebbing. I.F.S., F.E.8., 

 F.Z.S. ; 3. A Visit to Barren Island in the Andamans, by B B. Osmaston, 

 I.F.S. ; 4. Keenness of sight in Birds and Animals, by C. H. Donald.; 



5. Remark-* upon the Snake Contia angwticeps, by Major F. Wall, I.M.S. ; 



6. The Breeding Habits of Snakes and Lizards, by Rev. F. Dreckmann, S. J. 

 A vote of thanks to the authors of the papers terminated the meeting. 



