lii Proceedings. 



my childhood used to cast such weird and ghostly shadows and 

 patterns on the walls as it slowly waned, were all well repre- 

 sented. Then I would place next the portfolio of beautiful 

 water-colour sketches made by my friend Mr. .John Dixon, G.E., 

 in all parts of the world, but especially in the Colorado and 

 Yellowstone Eocky Mountains ; and the exceedingly choice and 

 valuable case of Egyptian antiquities collected personally by the 

 same gentleman. Another section of Mr. Philip Crowley's 

 seemingly inexhaustible collection of Lepidoptera ; and Com- 

 mander Cameron's most valuable collection of African weapons, 

 musical instruments, and ornaments, were also among the more 

 important exhibits, but no less attractive were many of the 

 single or less extensive exhibits, of which I can only glance at a 

 very few, selecting them rather from my own recollections than 

 from any wish to depreciate those which I may omit. Mrs. 

 Miller's basket of flowers from Addiscombe, which has been a 

 feature of the Soiree for so many years, this year numbered 

 133 distinct varieties. The live and lively Australian opossum 

 of Mr. Frank Allen had a constant concourse of admirers. 

 Mr. Warner, with Mr. Stanley's electrical machines, shocked the 

 ladies to their hearts' content. Among the many valuable 

 pictures exhibited, a fine winter landscape at Davos, in the 

 Eastern Alps, by Mr. Harry Goodwin, and a beautiful copy of the 

 Coronation of the Virgin, by Mrs. Goodwin, were much admired. 

 But the new corridor hung with the productions of our Photographic 

 Section was perhaps the most popular resort of the evening. 

 I specially noted Mr. K. McKean's " Croydon Slums," — Middle 

 Eow, Day's Lodging-house, &c., — and his admirable groups of 

 children. Messrs. Low Sarjeant, Collyer, Straker, Bishop, 

 Gower, Howell, and Jacques, all contributed, and many of their 

 landscapes were of great beauty. Mr. Crowley again most kindly 

 decorated the stage with valuable flowers. The attendance of 

 members and visitors was 820, and the general opinion, as far as 

 I heard it expressed, was one of unqualified satisfaction. 



Donations. — A list of the many valuable donations of books 

 and periodicals which we have received during the year will be 

 appended to this address, and to all the donors the hearty thanks 

 of the Club are due. 



Lectures. — In looking back at the Proceedings of the year 

 I would single out, as one of its special features, the revival of the 

 practice which had almost become obsolete, of offering to our 

 members and a large circle of our friends, lectures by men 

 eminent in their own departments of science and research, of 

 which we have had two most admirable examples in the lectures 

 of Commander Cameron and Mr. Seebohni. I think nothing 



