30 Field Naturalists' Club — Proceedings. [voi'^xxx'in 



"To THE Members of the Field Naturalists' Club of 



Victoria. 



'' Ladies and Gentlemen, — By the effluxion of time, the com- 

 mittee you elected in July last vacate office this evening, but 

 before so doing it is incumbent on them to submit a brief 

 review of the progress made and the work done by the Club 

 during their tenure. 



" In presenting, then, the thirty-sixth annual report for the 

 year 1915-16, they extend to you their hearty congratulations 

 on the very satisfactory manner in which the Club has emerged 

 from the commercial disquiet and retrenchment that have been 

 such pronounced features in our social economy during the 

 period. 



" Regarding the numerical strength of the Club, it is highly 

 gratifying to record that, despite the considerable Jess sustained 

 by resignations and arrears during the past twelve months, 

 the position is slightly better than at the close of the previous 

 year. Commencing the year with a membership of 210, 5 

 country and 25 ordinary members were elected, and i associate, 



1 country, and 20 ordinary members lost by death, resignation, 

 or arrears. The membership thus shows a gain of 8 for the 

 period under review, and now amounts to 218, comprising 



2 life, 6 honorary, 57 country, and 150 ordinary members, and 



3 associates. 



" From the circumstance that four members were elected at 

 the May meeting, and four are nominated for the next meeting, 

 it may be the pleasurable privilege of the next committee to 

 chronicle infinitively better results at the termination of their 

 term of office than has fallen to our lot in that just ended. 



" Apart, however, from what the future may have in store, 

 your committee, in the eleventh hour of their stewardship, 

 would urge upon you the necessity of advancing the claims 

 of the Field NaturaUsts' Club of Victoria to the support of 

 those interested in natural research, when and wherever an 

 opportunity may occur. By this procedure the Club will 

 become more widely known and recognized as affording readier, 

 easier, and cheaper facilities to those desirous of acquiring a 

 special or a general knowledge of the manifold phases of nature 

 than is afforded by any similar body in the State. 



" The hon. treasurer, Mr. Geo. Coghill, in his report respecting 

 the financial position of the Club, will show that the receipts 

 for the past twelve months amounted to £139 8s. iid., and 

 the expenditure to £134 7s. 2d. A profit of £5 is. gd. is thus 

 disclosed, and the credit balance increased from £44 2s. iid. 

 to £49 4s. 8d. 



" From the foregoing figures it will be readily realized that 

 though no material acquisition to the Club's funds has resulted 



