Entomological Society of London, 59 



Entomology. — The Entomological Society of London held 

 the first meeting, of their first session, in the evening of Nov. 4. 

 1833, at 17. Old Bond Street. Messrs. Kirby and Spence, 

 the distinguished authors of the Introduction to Entomology^ 

 and thereby the founders, it may be said, of this science 

 in Britain, were present, and the members assembled, about 

 fifty in number (including Messrs. Stephens, Hope, Walker, 

 Westwood, Yarrell, Dr. Horsfield, and Col. Sykes), testified 

 their sincere gratification at this circumstance. The Rev. Mr. 

 Kirby, who had been unanimously chosen honorary pre- 

 sident of the Society, and to whom the chair, first taken by 

 J. G. Children, Esq., was resigned, stated that he would do 

 all in his power to advance the interests of the Society ; but 

 that he felt that, at seventy-four years of age, much would 

 not be expected from him. He could not, however, refrain 

 from observing, that science was indebted for the most interest- 

 ing and valuable portions of the work to which his own name 

 appeared conjointly as author, to his friend beside him ; and, 

 here, Mr. Kirby laid his hand on the shoulder of Mr. Spence. 



The meeting elected Mr. Spence an honorary member, by 

 general acclamation ; and Mr. Spence, in returning thanks, 

 avowed that he came to the meeting, and had brought his 

 two sons, for the express purpose of joining the Society. He 

 then produced a letter, which was read by one of his sons, 

 detailing so much of the proceedings at the late meeting of 

 naturalists at Breslaw as referred to entomology, and with 

 which, he said, he had been favoured, previously to leaving 

 Paris, a fortnight ago, by M. Lefebvre, the secretary of the 

 Societe Entomologique de France, who, as well as many 

 others of the principal members, had expressed to him their 

 high gratification at the institution of the Entomological So- 

 ciety of London, and their ardent desire that a frequent inter- 

 course between the two Societies might promote the objects 

 which both have in view. 



Mr. W. B. Spence (eldest son of Mr. Spence) was then 

 elected foreign secretary of the Society, and the members, 

 after going through the by-laws and other routine business, 

 separated, highly gratified at the very auspicious circumstances 

 under which the meetings of the new Society had been com- 

 menced. 



The second meeting took place on Dec. 2. " The room 

 was considerably crowded." Some scientific communications 

 were read. For the details, see the Entomological Magazine 

 for January, 1834. The Society's future meetings are to be 

 held on the first Monday in every month, and the chair to be 

 taken precisely at 8 o'clock in the evening. 



