8 pkocei:dixgs of the 



conditiou. We are glad to find that our colony, which began 

 with the list of twenty which you have heard read to-day, has 

 increased to the large number of over 100, I hope it may go 

 on and still increase and prosper. But though our founders 

 are reduced to such a small number, I am sure we must all 

 congratulate ourselves that we have still such a good clutch 

 of the original brood left. We cannot help looking back at 

 some of the names that came into our lives : — Dear old 

 Professor Newton, Avho made many evenings most ])leasant 

 to us when Ave were at Cambridge ; and then Lord Lilford, 

 to whom the Union owes a great debt of gratitude. Again, 

 my thoughts go back to dear old Canon Tristram — the 

 " Sacred Ibis " I always called him — under whose auspices 

 I was introduced to this Union. We must not, however, go 

 through the whole list, for to-day we have a pleasant duty to 

 perform to four of our ancestors who are still with us. To 

 make any distinction between them would be odious. I will 

 only emphasize the remarks of the President, who pointed 

 out how much we are indebted to Dr. Sclater, our present 

 Editor, for all the work he has done for us during the past 

 fifty years. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, in our time we have 

 seen a great many changes in nomenclature. I am glad to 

 find that we have not altered the name of our Journal, which 

 is still merely ' The Ibis."* 1 hope that we shall continue to 

 stick to our original name and be worthy of it. 



I think that, after all you have heard this afternoon, I 

 had better speak no further. I will say in conclusion, that 

 I hope that all who follow in the steps of those who have 

 set us so good an example, and that all future Members, 

 will remember that the aim and object of the British 

 Ornithologists' Union is not the destruction, but the pre- 

 servation of bird-life and bird-species throughout the Avorld. 

 (Applause.) 



1 have now great pleasure in presenting to Mr. Godman, 

 our President, this Gold Medal as a mark of our respect and 

 gratitude for all that he has done for us. (Cheers.) 



(The Medal was then presented.) 



