( wexlibcen) 
THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS. 
GENTLEMEN, 
It is not necessary for me to say much in reference 
to the highly satisfactory Report of the Council, which shows 
that the promising prospect of the Society’s affairs at the 
beginning of 1898 has been amply verified by the year’s ex- 
perience. Our meetings have been well attended ; thirty- 
seven new Fellows have been elected ; and our finances show 
a phenomenal balance in hand. 
Our Library has also been especially favoured during the 
year. By the bequest of the late Mrs. H. T. Stainton, widow 
of our former President, the highly-distinguished lepidopterist, 
the Society was entitled to select from her late husband’s 
library—which included the well-known Stephensian collec- 
tion—such entomological works as were not previously in its 
possession, and it has thus acquired a large number of books 
and separate memoirs, including copies of many older works 
now of great rarity and value. From Mr. W. F. H. Bland- 
ford, who has devoted much time and attention to the develop- 
ment of the Library, we have received a most welcome dona- 
tion of books and memoirs relating principally to economic 
entomology—a branch of the Science hitherto imperfectly 
represented on our book-shelves. 
In July the third annual visit of the Officers and Council 
to Oxford, at the invitation of the Hope Professor of Zoology, 
took place, and was marked by renewed hospitality on the part 
of Prof. Poulton and other distinguished resident members of 
the University. A very interesting time was spent in the 
Hope Department, where many advances have been made in 
the increase, classification, and cabinet arrangement of the 
