2 PRESIDENT S ADDRESS. 



of so useful a Society should be so comparatively small, a resolu- 

 tion was passed on 19th April, at his instance, that, during the 

 residue of the year, the payment of an entrance fee should be 

 suspended. The result was an accession of 38 new members, 

 besides one associate, and the roll at the end of 1899 was 

 increased to 116. 



As it was thought that another innovation, in the shape of 

 light refreshments at the close of each monthly meeting, would 

 mitigate the objection sometimes made, that the Society's house 

 was rather inaccessible to many of its members, the new arrange- 

 ment was brought into operation during the Session, and appears 

 to have worked satisfactorily. 



As the Hon. Treasurer's accounts deal fully with the financial 

 affairs of the Society, it is not necessary for me to enter into 

 particulars, but I think it right to point out that the expenditure, 

 in connection with Bacteriology, has, during the years 1898 and 

 1899, amounted to £1262 8s. 9d. 



Members will no doubt think that, for this large amount, some- 

 thing more than two papers, read at the monthly meetings, might 

 have been expected ; but the facts must not be overlooked that 

 Bacteriology is a new science, and that the difficulties of starting 

 an institution, for its study and all necessary investigations, in 

 this colony are much greater than in England or any part of the 

 European continent or America, and that, however much pro- 

 gress may have been made during the past 18 months, it could 

 hardly be expected that great results could be exhibited after so 

 short a period of initiatory work. 



I am glad to be able to state that all our Bacteriological fittings, 

 apparatus, chemicals, and books, are very complete, and in so 

 satisfactory a condition, that during the the next six months we 

 are entitled to look forward to equally satisfactory results. 



I regret to have to announce the death in October last of JMr. 

 W. Kershaw, Senr., one of our ordinary members, who was for 

 many years officially connected with the National Museum of 

 Melbourne, and whose knowledge of the Victorian fauna was 

 very considerable. 



