136 president's address. 



Professor Pitt-Cobbett. The results either in the way of increased 

 attendance or accessions to Membership were not of a striking- 

 character; and as an accompaniment of music practice in a 

 contiguous building, and the absence of our books of reference 

 were not found to enhance the interest of the Meetings, the 

 Council has decided to return to our home at Elizabeth Bay. 

 The inauguration of a new line of 'buses from the Railway 

 Station to the top of William-street, via Oxford-street, providing 

 for the convenience of residents in the western suburbs, and of 

 the cable-tram to Ocean-street will be found to offer new and 

 hitherto unattainable facilities of access to the Society's Hall. 



Three vacancies on the Council occurred during the year through 

 the successive retirement, on account of pressure of official duties, 

 of Dr. Cobb, Mr. E. G. W. Palmer, and Mr. R. Etheridge, junr. 

 In accordance with the provisions of the Act of Incorporation, 

 the Council filled two of these vacancies for the unexpired portions 

 for the then current 3^ear by electing Mr. A. H. S. Lucas, M.A., 

 B.Sc, and Dr. Fick— who was, however, on the eve of leaving 

 for Europe, and therefore unable to act — and whose place was 

 thereupon filled by the appointment of Dr. C. J. Martin : the 

 third ^-acancy occurring later in the year was left unfilled until 

 the Annual Meeting. Mr. Henn, one of the Auditors, being- 

 absent on a visit to India, Mr. E. G. W. Palmer has been elected 

 in his place. 



As there arise from time to time questions of priority in the 

 matter of species described in the first seven Volumes of our 

 Proceedings which were issued undated, it is desirable that the 

 effort should be made to ascertain the exact dates with a view to 

 their publication in the Proceedings. Unfortunately the Society's 

 official records for the period covered by Yols. i.-vi., and Parts } 

 and 2 of Vol. vii., were entirely destroyed in the Garden Palace 

 Fire. The Secretary, however, hopes by the co-operation of the 

 Librarians of the various Sydney Libraries to be able to ascertain 

 at least the dates on which the publications were received at 

 those Institutions — which would be approximately those of publi- 

 cation. Old Members who are in a position to afford information 

 are also cordially invited to do so. 



