LINKEAN SOCIETY OF LOXDOK. XVll 



to the disparity which exists between the zoological and botanical 

 portions of it. A great possible difficulty, which I could not but 

 foresee in the separate paging and sale of the two parts, has thus 

 become realized ; and it appears to me not impossible that it may 

 hereafter be necessary to consider carefully whether it may be 

 desirable to continue the present separable form. The deficiency 

 to which I have alluded in the number and importance of the 

 zoological papers communicated to the Society, leads me to make 

 a few remarks on the probable causes which may have led to it ; 

 and I think it is not difficult to trace it to the numerous minor 

 societies which cultivate, in one form or other, this department 

 of natural history, and thus draw away from the parent Society 

 numerous papers of various degrees of merit, which would other- 

 wise have found their place at our meetings, and many of which 

 might have worthily occupied the pages of our two publications. 

 I am well-aw^are of the great importance of a healthful division of 

 labour. I do not in any respect depreciate the value of the labours 

 of other societies ; but I do believe that science would be promoted 

 by a greater concentration of the talent and research w^hich are 

 now diverted into so many channels, increasing thus the difficulties 

 of the student, by unnecessarily multiplying the sources from which 

 he must draw his information. In the case of the Zoological 

 Society we have an example, in which the very steps which were 

 taken to effect a particular object, have become the means of frus- 

 trating it, and have increased the defect which it was intended to 

 obviate. The Zoological Club of the Linnean Society was insti- 

 tuted in the year 1822, and was composed exclusively of Fellows 

 of the Linnean Society. Its objects were to encourage the pre- 

 sentation of papers on zoological subjects, and to promulgate 

 those systematic view^s which at that time were prevailing, under 

 the influence of MacLeay and Vigors and Sw^ainson and others. 

 The primary and ostensible object, however, was the encourage- 

 ment of the zoological element in the Linnean Society. After 

 having existed and done good work for about seven years, a Special 

 Meeting was called to dissolve the Club, and it became transferred 

 to the Zoological Society, and formed its scientific department, 

 from which has emanated so great a mass of zoological information 

 of the highest character. I do not wish now to dwelF upon this 

 fact, but I am fully justified in saying that the diversion of so 

 much important matter from this Society has undoubtedly been 

 one principal cause of the obvious declension of our zoological 

 element. The recent resolution of the Council of the Zoological 

 LINN. PEOC. h 



