4 PRESIDtXr S ADDRESS. 



by members of the Society's research staff. These cover a representati\-e series 

 cf the subjects in which the Society is directly interested. 



Our exchange-relations with Societies and Institutions outside the Common- 

 wealth have begun to show gratifying signs of recovery. The Bureau of inter- 

 national E.xchanges at Washington has been able to resume its despatches to this 

 part of the world, after suspension brought about by war-conditions; and this 

 means a great deal to the Society. Postal communications have improved some- 

 what, though still not altogether normal. Consequently, Scientific Societies in 

 neutral and other countries are seeking to fulfil the obligations which were inter- 

 fered with by abnormal conditions. But it affords me very special pleasure and 

 satisfaction to be able to announce, that, after the turmoil of war, five out of 

 the seven Belgian Scientific Societies with which we liave exchanged publications 

 for so many years, and from whom we were so abruptly cut oft' in 1914, have 

 succeeded in getting into touch with us again. These are I'Aeademie Royale des 

 Sciences des Lettres et des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Societe Entomologicjue de 

 Belgique, Societe Geologique de Belgique, Societe Royal de Botanique de Bel- 

 gique, and Societe Royal Zoologiqvie et Malacologique de Belgique. I gladly 

 avail myself of this opportunity of offering to them the Society's cordial greet- 

 ings on the resumption of their scientific activities, its sj-mpathy with them in 

 the anxieties and trials which they have endured, as well as any help that we 

 can give, if it be necessary. The total number of exchanges received during the 

 Session 1918-19 amounts to 799 additions to the library, received from 132 Socie- 

 ties, Institutions. &c., and ten private donors, as compared with 687, 846, 1243, 

 1028, and 1285 for the five preceding Sessions. Effort has been made, on the 

 Society's part, to bring its despatches as far as possible up to date. 



Six Ordinary Members were elected, five have resigned during the year; we 

 have lost one of our older members by death; and, in addition, news came to 

 us of the decease of one of our soldier-members some time ago. 



Harrt Stephens, like Dene Try, was a very promising young biologist, 

 whose career ended ]>rematurely amid the havoc of battle. After leaving school, 

 he entered the Department of Agriculture as a cadet; later on he took the degree 

 of B.Sc, in Agriculture; and was subsequently appointed to a Walter and Eliza 

 Hall Agricultural Fellowship with the object of doing research-work upon Cereal 

 Rusts. He had made some progress in this work, when war was declared, and 

 he enlisted for active service in 1915. He left for the front, as Second Lieu- 

 tenant, in February, 1916, and spent some time in Egy]5t. Thence he pro- 

 ceeded to Salisbury, where he was promoted to First Lieutenant ; later, he ac- 

 companied his battalion to France, where, in May, 1917, he became Captain. 

 On the night of 18th November, 1917, three weeks after his twenty-seventh birth- 

 day, he luid just entered the trench to which he was allotted, when he was killed 

 instantaneously by a bursting shell. Captain Stephens was elected a Member 

 in 1915, Init, in conse(|uonce of the pressure of his I'niversity and other work, we 

 never had the pleasure of welcoming him to our Meetings. Professor Watt, with 

 whom he liad most to do at the University, as well as Mr. Maiden, speak of him 

 in the highest terms as possessing in a marked degree the qualities which go to 

 make a successful investigator, as well as a keen sense of honour and of duty. 

 His University course was higlily creditable, as he gained the Belmore Scholai-ship 

 for Chemistry and Geology in his first year, and l^fr. Maiden's jirize for Agri- 

 cultural Botany; and first class lioiioui's and a I'niversity medal at grailuation. 

 Biological ivsearch in Australia has suffci-cd a groat loss by the untimely deaths 

 of the only two of our Sohlicr-Mcnibers wlio liavc nut n>tnriu'd to us. 



