XXX1l PROCEEDINGS. 
has paid a life composition fee. Five gentlemen out of the fifteen 
have not yet paid their first fee, and therefore are not entitled to the 
full privileges of membership. The roll-book at present bears the names 
of 126 members. This list, however, much needs revision. Several of 
he gentlemen named therein have neither cancelled their arrears nor 
even shown interest in the work of the Society by attending its monthly 
meetings. Owing to this lack of revision, our Proceedings and Trans- 
actions are furnished gratis to some who in no way advance the objects 
fer which the Institute was formed. 
During the session of 1894-5, the full number of eight meetings 
was held, the annual business meeting taking place, for the sake of con- 
venience, on the same date as that of the first monthly one. Eighteen 
papers were presented at these meetings. They may roughly be classed 
under the following heads: presidential address, 1 ; archeology, 1 ; 
phenology, 1; zoology, 2; geology, 6; botany and horticulture, 2 ; 
chemistry, 1 ; astronomy, 1; mechanics, 2. These papers were con- 
tributed by fourteen persons,—that is to say only about eleven per cent. 
of the members laid work before the Society. This is a decrease from 
the previous session of 1893-94, when twenty-two papers were pre- 
sented by eighteen persons, or sixteen and a half per cent. of the list 
of members as it then stood (about 109). Of the one hundred and 
twenty-six living members, I find that thirty-two (or nearly twenty-six 
per cent.) have at some time contributed one or more papers. Several 
of these, however, have furnished nothing for many years. At the 
present time, only about eighteen members can be spoken of as 
representing the working force of the Institute. There are many, 
however, who could easily prepare papers, but they have not yet 
done so. 
Several branches of our natural history have, so far, been entirely 
neglected ; but it is to be hoped that these will be worked up before 
many years. Several entomological orders offer a tempting field in this 
respect. 
The attendance at the monthly meetings of the society probably 
averages about twenty-two. Large meetings cannot, of course, be 
expected when the results of special research are being presented. Popu- 
lar papers are more attractive to the public; but, on the other hand, 
are less acceptable for publication. A larger attendance of teachers 
