Proceedinys. clxxiii 



a failure, simply on account of the place proving utterly unfit 

 for even temporary human habitation owing to its dampness. I 

 am, however, glad to aay that the Institution Committee, and 

 their present courteous secretary, have expressed themselves 

 anxious to do all they can to make us comfortable ; so that I 

 hope our photographic friends will find the place soon fit 

 for work. 



This brings me to a point which I consider an interesting one. 

 During the past year you will see that we have had four Ordinary 

 papers and one general lecture, viz., " Eespiration of Insects," 

 "Volcanic Action," "Spectrum Analysis," "Polarization of 

 Light," and " Mimicry in Nature" ; all of which were illustrated 

 by either direct photographs or by hand-drawn diagrams, &c., 

 shown on the screen by the optical lantern. I need hardly say 

 that such illustration is not only far superior to the old diagram 

 style, but it is of exceeding value in placing the subject of 

 lectures and papers before us in a pleasing and true light. 



The co-operation of our Photographic Section is thus an 

 established fact, and I look forward to much more and more 

 widely extended assistance in the future, when our ' Trans- 

 actions ' will, I hope, contain some proofs of their energy and 

 industry in the shape of illustrations to some of our papers. 

 There is practically no limit to the usefulness of the camera, and 

 I believe that we are only yet on the margin of what is likely to 

 be done in this direction ; and this naturally leads to the con- 

 sideration once more of our future, and of our accommodation. 

 Last month I received the following letter from Dr. Carpenter,* 

 who has given me permission to include it in my Address, 

 indicating, however, that it only represents his individual 

 opinion : — 



" Esplanade Hotel, Ventnor, 

 " Dec. 15th, 1891. 



" My dear Mr. President, — My long and serious illness has 

 prevented me fulfilling a pi'omise that I made you in the begin- 

 ning of this year, that I would endeavour to formulate a scheme 

 for housing the Natural History Society at the Public Hall. 

 Before, however, I draw up that scheme, I should like to know 

 from you the amount and character of the accommodation that 

 you would require, and the rent that the Club could afford to 

 pay, pi'omising that, if the arrangement is carried out, it shall 

 be a permanent one, similar to that with the Committee of the 

 School of Art. We can provide any amount of dark-room 

 accommodation in the basement. Room could also be provided 



* Dr. Carpenter's lamented death, on the 27th January, 1892, adds a 

 melancholy interest to this communication, which shows that the interests 

 of the Club were near to his heart up to the last. 



