withdrawn. They regretted this very much, and he desired to 

 find means to enable the club to continue to use the room. That 

 was the main object of the motion, and he hoped to see it 

 carried. 



Mr. Giblin seconded the motion, and pointed out that it was 

 not obligatory, but it gave the Society power to take certain 

 action at a general' meeting. He thought no harm could result 

 from the innovation, but a considerable amount of good might 

 be done. 



Mr. A. L. Butler said he felt if the Society granted the Field 

 Naturalists the privilege of affiliation it would be conferring a 

 benefit on them, and would be forming a recruiting ground for 

 the ranks of the Society in the future. Since the club had met 

 in the Society's rooms they had derived a lot of benefit, and 

 certainly no harm had accrued to the older body. It was very 

 handy to the club to meet in rooms adjacent to the Museum, 

 because it was essential that they should have the benefit of a 

 collection of specimens in their work. 



IMr. L. Rodway said he could not agree with the motion. 

 He was a member of the Field Naturalists' Club, and he did not 

 know that they were clamouring for affiliation. The Royal 

 Society was an old institution, and they had run satisfactorily 

 up to the present, and they should consider whether it was 

 advisable to make the change at such a late hour in their life. 

 The change might seriously interfere with the working of the 

 Society, because, at an annual meeting, it might afifect the voting 

 very considerably. Hobart was growing, and keeping the 

 societies separate would cause a good deal of healthy rivalry. 

 It would be a great mistake for the Society to absorb into its 

 ranks any other society that was working along the same lines, 

 because it would be likely to hamper the work of the organisa- 

 tion, and cripple it generally. 



Dr. Noetling endorsed Mr. Rodway's remarks, and said he 

 was against the motion, because of the unlimited powers which 

 it conveyed. 



Dr. Butler said that there seemed to be an idea that the 

 Society might be caught napping, and a catch vote secured on 

 some vital point. That could be provided for by adding a few 

 words at the end of the amendment, providing that notice of 

 affiliation should be given at a meeting held some time pre- 

 viously. One thing that seemed to be overlooked was the great 

 lack of interest taken in the monthly meetings of the Society 

 during the last twelve months. The meetings were not well 

 attended, and a great want of enthusiasm was displayed. In fact,, 

 it seemed that the Society was putting up a struggle against 

 death. 



Dr. Ndctling: No. 



Dr. Butler: Yes. Many times there were only a few mem- 

 bers present, and they often had difticulty in getting a quorum. 

 The proposal would tend to popularise then- meetings, and he 

 hoped to see it carried. 



