2 2 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



Brown University, Providence, U.S.A., who has earned a great 

 reputation as an entomologist. 



"With regard to the general work of the Society, it will be of 

 interest to the Fellows to know that wc are taking an active part 

 in the preparation of the International Catalogue of Scientific 

 Publications : that we are represented nt the Central Bureau by 

 the Senior Secretary, Mr. B. Daydon Jackson, and have undertaken 

 the responsibility of preparing the slips relating to the Botany of 

 the United Kingdom. 



The relation between the income and the expenditure of the 

 Society is a subject which is engaging the attention of the Council. 

 It appears from the balance-sheet which has been presented to you, 

 that the funds at the disposal of the Society are barely sufficient to 

 meet the current rate of expenditure upon the chief branches of 

 the Society's usefulness, the Library and the publications. "With 

 regard to the Library, little more can be done at present than to 

 continue the numerous periodicals for which we subscribe ; and 

 whilst the high standard of our publications is maintained both as 

 to quantity and qualitj', there is room for development in this 

 direction also. Although there is no immediate prospect of any 

 material growth in the revenue, beyond that which it is hoped may 

 arise from an accession of new Fellows, the Council are of opinion 

 that with the cooperation of the Fellows, upon which they con- 

 fidently rely, something may even now be done to improve the 

 financial position. They would point out, in the first place, that 

 the finance of the Society would be much simplified were the 

 Fellows to make a point of paying their annual contributions as 

 soon as possible after the Anniversary Meeting in each year, so 

 that there would be no uncertainty as to the amount actually 

 available to meet the annual expenditure. In the second place, it 

 is thought that it may be possible to somewhat diminish the cost 

 of the publications without, however, any curtailment of them or 

 any infringement of the rights of the Fellows. The Society is 

 exceptionally liberal in the matter of publications, issuing to each 

 FeUow a complete set of both the "Transactions" and the "Journal," 

 as well as the annual number of the " Proceedings." It is suggested 

 that probably a considerable number of the Fellows, being especially 

 interested in either Botany or Zoology, might be content to receive 

 either the ' Botanical ' or the ' Zoological ' publications, waiving 

 their claim to the others. Were this suggestion realised, it is 

 believed that the strain upon the resources of the Society would be 

 materially relieved. I would commend it to the favourable con- 

 sideration of the Fellows, and ask any who may be disposed to act 

 upon it, to communicate their intention to the Assistant Secretary. 



The Council have under consideration a proposal affecting the 

 procedure of the Society, with a view to promoting the interest of 

 our meetings. The opinion has been frequently expressed that it 

 would be a distinct gain if certain meetings were set apart for the 

 discussion of only either botanical or zoological papers. Such a 

 proposal may appear to be subversive of the principles upon which 



