6 presidekt's address. 



discontinued lioiu July, lUlti, to October, ISJl'J, but the I'loccfdinj^ have been 

 issued uninteiTuptedly, and have suffered no reduction in volume. 



One of the most serious consequences to the scientific community of this in- 

 crease in the cost of publishing was the possibility of the discontinuance of the 

 publication of the International Catalogue of Scientific Literature. An inter- 

 national conference, convened by the Royal Society of London, met to consider 

 this matter last year. They came to the conclusion that, "even though a ciuxnge 

 be made in the future in the method of indexing, it is imperative to continue the 

 Intel-national Catalogue of Scientific Literature in its present form until the 

 literature published up to tiie end of the year 1915, and possibly also that up 

 to the end of the present year 1930, lia-s been catalogued. In this way the im- 

 portant scientific work carried out during the War period will become available 

 for reference at an early date and continuity in the work of indexing- be main- 

 tained." (Nature, October 7, 1920, p. 195). This recommendation was to be 

 placed liefore the Council of the Royal Society for consideration. 



In tile meantime efforts have been made to obtain additional subscribers to 

 tlx' Catalogue, and also to ascertain whether foi-iner ]iurchasers would continue 

 at the increased charges necessitated by the increased costs. It is the earnest 

 hope of all concerned that the Royal Society may see its way clear to continue 

 the issue of this invaluable publication. 



The question of the issue of the Catalogue for papers published after 1920 

 ■was referred to a committee of the delegates at fhe Royal Society's confei"ence for 

 further consideration. 



Exchange-relations with Societies and Institutions show a more ilecided i-e- 

 turn this year towards normal. The receipts for the Session amounted to 1003 

 additions to tlie librai-y, being more than for the yeais immediately ])receding the 

 War. This is, of course, due to the receipt of publications issued during the War 

 by many Societies, etc., who were unable to despatch their volurae-s to us as they 

 ■were issued. In addition to the Belgian Societies to which I made special refer- 

 ence liu-it year, we have resume<l cxcliange-relations with Societies in countries 

 which have been cut off for exchange jiurposes for some years — these include Nor- 

 way, Sweden. Finland, France, Holland, Hungary and Atistria — and we have also 

 rtwumed exchanges with one German institution. 



During the year the following additions have been made to the li.st of journals 

 obtained in exchange for the Society's Proceedings: — American Journal of Bot- 

 .iny. Annals of the Durban Museum. Bulletin of tlio Public Museum of tlie City of 

 Milwaukee, .(onrnal of the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard ITniversity. .lournal of 

 Experimenf.al Zoology, Journal of Morphology, Natural History (from the Ameri- 

 can Museum of Natural History). Trabajos del Museo Nacional de Ciencias 

 Naturales (Madrid). 



The scientific porticm of the library of the late F. M. Chnnents. l)e(|ueatlied 

 by him to the Society, formed a very valuable addition to the librai-y, more parti- 

 cularly to the oiiiitholog-ical section. In addition to a number of small books 

 on electricity and a few medical works, this be(|uest included the following vol- 

 umes:— Ball. Sir Robert, The Story of the Heavens (1905); Bentley, R., A 

 Manual of Botany (1887) ; Blakston." W. A., Swaysland. W., and Wiener. A. F., 

 The Book of Canaries and Cage Birds; Bonhote. .1. L.. Birds of Britain (1907); 

 Brninowski. Gracius J.. Birds of Australia. Vols i.-vi.. (1890-1891); Buller, Sir 

 AV. 1., Birds of New Zealand. Vols, i.-ii. (1888); Collinge. W. E.. The Food of 

 Some British Wild Birds; A Study in Economic Ornitliology (1913) ; Department 



