1336 president's address. 



from the Stormberg beds, by A. S. Woodward (Ann. and Mag. 

 KH. (6) lY. p. 239). 



In conclusion, Gentlemen, you will all remember the occasion 

 when the hall in which we are now assembled was opened and 

 presented to the Society with the unostentatious munificence 

 characteristic of Sir William Macleay. You will also re- 

 member with what hearty and unanimous assent it was resolved 

 to record our grateful appreciation of his action by a permanent 

 token, in the form of a portrait executed in marble and erected 

 here in a conspicuous place of honour. 



This resolution was arrived at on October 31, 1885 ; but owing 

 to unavoidable delay it was long before the committee appointed 

 to carry it into eflfect. Dr. Cox and Mr. MacMahon, were able to 

 complete their arrangements. At last however, on June 22, 

 1889, the excellent bust of Sir William Macleay, which you 

 see before you, the design and handwork of Signor Simoxetti, of 

 Sydney, was formally unveiled. On that occasion I had the 

 honour of giving some expression, though in inadequate terms, 

 to the feelings with which this Society rightly regards their 

 eminent benefactor, and of reminding you, by a brief summary 

 of facts, of some of his principal services ; and I think you will 

 consider it not an improper use of the present opportunity if I 

 now proceed to repeat, from a- report in the Sydney Morning 

 Herald, a small portion of what I had then to say upon the last 

 head : — 



"• I can only enumerate a portion of the many and great 

 benefactions by which Sir William Macleay has fully earned 

 and fully gained the sincere and deep gratitude which we have 

 met to testify by an enduring token. But I must remind you at 

 least of his having borne all the expenses of our unfortunately 

 brief establishment in the Garden Palace, of his gift of one 

 admirable library of Natural History, which was to be consumed 

 in the subsequent conflagration, only to be replaced by the still 

 more costly, extensive, and, I may almost say, invaluable collec- 



