LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON. XV 



of expending the one or the other in the enjoyment of their 

 favourite pursuit. 



Eor myself, I have always heen the advocate for reducing the 

 annual subscription in Scientific Societies to the lowest sum con- 

 sistent with the efficient carrying out of their objects ; and I have 

 not only entertained myself, but proposed for the consideration of 

 my colleagues, the question whether some reduction might not be 

 adopted in our own annual contribution or entrance fee. My 

 full conviction, however, is that under existing circumstances 

 such reduction is utterlj'^ impracticable ; but how far this desirable 

 end would be furthered by the members of the minor societies 

 joining us, and thus at once increasing our income and strength- 

 ening our efficiency, is, I submit, worthy their consideration. 

 Besides this, if we even adhere to the argument of the quid pro 

 quo, it must be recollected that the Transactions and other 

 publications of those Societies are not presented to the members 

 without payment, whereas ours, often of considerable pecuniary 

 as well as intrinsic value, are given to every contributing Member 

 Avithout additional expense. Surely these advantages, which ap- 

 peal to the mere financial motive, in addition to the free use 

 of all tlie noble libraries now collected within these walls, are 

 more than an equivalent for the additional annual expense. 

 You will at once perceive that these remarks are only partially 

 applicable. There are some Institutions with pursuits collateral 

 with our own, which have not even the pecuniary plea for 

 separation. 



I am too well aware, however, of the importance of the contri- 

 butions to Natural Science emanating from the various societies 

 to which I have referred, to look with indifierence or lack of re- 

 spect upon their labours. I know fuU well that many of the most 

 important works of the first naturalists of our age and country 

 have come before the public under the auspices of these associa- 

 tions ; that the Transactions of the Zoological Society are half- 

 filled with the contributions of the most eminent natui-alists of 

 this coimtry ; that those of the Microscopical and Entomological 

 Societies contain papers of great value on recondite physiological 

 subjects, or learned generalizations on some of the most interest- 

 ing branches of Natural History. But it must be remembered 

 that the separate working of each of these bodies is attended 

 with great expense, independent of that which is required by the 

 mere publication of each individual paper in connexion with others, 

 and that this expense would be greatly lessened in each case, 



