THE ENTOMOLOGICAL CLUB. 161 



As has been already remarked, this Club, since it was founded in 

 1826, has been conducted without entrance-fees or subscriptions. 

 Funds for the purposes of the Club were supplied by members 

 and hon. members in the form of voluntary contributions. In 

 1836, for example, the donations amounted to the sum of fifty- 

 two pounds (eight donors), and the greater part of this amount 

 was expended during the year in boxes and part payment of a 

 cabinet. As the requirements of the Club grew less, so the cash 

 contributions fell off, until in 1874 (the last entry) the year 

 opens with a balance of eight shillings and fourpence, and this 

 was increased by a whip round to thirty-three shillings and four- 

 pence, so that the Secretary's "little bill " might be settled and 

 a small amount remain in hand against contingencies. 



The recovered minute-book records the doings of the Club 

 from October 21st, 1841, to November 12th, 1851, and we here 

 note that in the first-named year the property of the Club was 

 insured to the value of £700. The general collection at this 

 time was located in the dwelling of Mr. Newman, at Peckham, 

 and the other effects at Mr. Walker's house at Southgate. 



In March, 1842, Mr. Hanson presented the Club with some 

 valuable insects from Smyrna ; a collection of minute British 

 Coleoptera was also presented by Mr. S. Stevens. 



At a meeting held in October, 1843, Mr. Newman intimated 

 his intention of resigning the office of Curator, and Mr. Double - 

 day gave notice that at the next meeting he would submit the 

 following proposition : — 



" That on the appointment of a new Curator, the preservation and 

 completion of the British Collection belonging to the Club shall be 

 considered a special and primary object of its members ; and that as 

 the Foreign Collection cannot without great expense be brought to a 

 state of even tolerable completeness, and as great difficulties lie in the 

 way of its preservation, it is desirable that it should be disposed of in 

 the manner most advantageous to the interests of the Club and of 

 Entomology. 



" That with this view, after allowing (in accordance with the 

 fourth rule) donors to reclaim such of their respective donations as 

 they may think fit, those specimens which may be desiderata to the 

 collection of the British Museum be presented to the Trustees of that 

 Institution, on the understanding that the Club shall receive from 

 them a return of such specimens from among their duplicates of 

 British insects as may be desiderata to the Club's collection. 



" That the remainder of the Foreign Collection, and such boxes as 

 may not be needed for the use of the Club, be then disposed of by sale, 

 in the manner that may be deemed most advisable ; and that the 

 produce of the sale be applied, in the first place, to the purchase of an 

 additional cabinet for the British Collection, and, secondly, to the 

 increase of that collection, so that it may become what it was 

 originally intended to be, valuable as ' a model named-collection of 

 insects unquestionably British.' " 



BNTOM. — JUNE, 1899. Q 



