10 



that the interest of our meetings has Ijeen well sustained. But 

 it is still of paramount necessity that members furnish the Hon. 

 Secretaries with the titles of Papers they propose reading during 

 this year. "We still want more exhibitions of interesting objects 

 at our meetings, and especially more microscopes. In former 

 years, when I occasionally had the privilege of attending the 

 meetings of this Society as a visitor, and for some time after I 

 became a member, I remember that the number of microscopes 

 was the most distinctive feature. I cannot think the tastes and 

 pursuits of our members change like the fashions, and beheve 

 that only a little judicious stimulus Avill restore this, to me at 

 any rate, interesting part of the proceedings at our montJily 

 meetings. 



We have faithfully carried out the usual programme of excur- 

 sions and social meetings, and have repeated the innovation of 

 1878 — the Ladies' Field Day. All these have been well attended, 

 and we were particularly fortunate regarding the weather, the 

 especial cause of so much disappointment to many such gatherings 

 in that pluvial year 1879. 



In concluding these general remarks, the new arrangements 

 with regard to giving our members more easy and frequent access 

 to the Library, for the purpose of borrowing and returning books, 

 should not be lost sight of. Our Library contains many really 

 useful and valuable works, and access to it could not possibly be 

 attended by less trouble than under the new system. 



This time last year the ordinary routine of devoting the 

 annual addresses to the consideration of some special subject con- 

 nected with our studies was somewhat departed from, and I 

 then took the opportunity of entering into an examination of our 

 position as a factor in the general scheme for promoting the 

 study of Natural Science. On this occasion I purpose saying 

 nothing more about Ourselves than you have already heard in 

 my preliminary remarks. I shall fall back upon the system of 

 most of the Addresses of former years; and the principal object 

 I intend to say something about is our noisy, familiar, and im- 

 pudent Common House Sparrow (Passer domesticus). 



Some of you may feel inclined to ask why I have chosen a 

 subject so utterly vulgar ? or why I did not elect to enter into a 

 discussion or explanation of some points of what may be termed 



