rs 
11 
for the Society. Whenever a lecturer failed Mr. Wonfor always had 
something ready with which to instruct us. The next highest figure 
is that of Mr. Pankhurst’s, numbering 12; then Messrs. Lomax, 
F. E. Sawyer, and Dr. Hallifax, 11 each ; the late Mr. Hennah, 7 ; 
and so we go on descending until we come to the number ones, 
of whom there are 31, amongst whom I am sorry to say my 
own name is to be found. In looking over the records of these 
papers I have been astonished to find what a vast amount of in- 
formation they contain; ’tis true that the record varies very much. 
At times we have broken into fits of generosity and the substance 
of papers have been printed in our reports, but usually the record is 
meagre, and not at all what it should be for such valuable productions, 
and I hope a way may yet be devised so that, without incurring un- 
reasonable expenses, a full record of the papers read by the members 
may be kept. Of course the papers vary in value and interest, but it 
would be invidious to attempt to specialise any of them. One cannot, 
however, look with anything but deep interest on the productions of 
such men as Dr. Hallifax, and Messrs. Wonfor, Hennah, Scott, Robert- 
son, Howell, and others. There used to be one feature of our 
annual and field excursions that should not be forgotten. I 
refer to the very valuable sketches which our dear old friend, 
the late Mr Penley, used to produce for our portfolio, and which 
now bring back to-us many scenes and circumstances which would 
otherwise have been forgotten. Other artists, too, used to help in 
this pleasant work, but they all seem to have died out or left us. I 
think it is a long time since we had any such sketch. The Society’s 
library has gradually become a most valuable and important one ; 
from those small beginnings when a cupboard in Mr. Gwatkin’s shop 
was sufficient to hold them, it has grown to be the finest scientific 
library in Brighton, and it has been made doubly useful by. the 
excellent catalogue which the Library Committee has recently got out. 
Tam glad that these books are made useful to the public at large. 
Indeed, I am told that the public make more use of our library than our 
members do themselves.. Our microscopic cabinets, too, are now well 
furnished, and I hope that we shall be able to carry out some arrange- 
ment for the use of the slides by the members. From time to time the 
Society has attempted great things, such as laying. down schemes for 
an examination of the fauna and flora of the County of Sussex, and 
the appointment of Sectional Committees for that purpose, and also 
the delivery of popular lectures to the public on scientific subjects. I 
am. very sorry to be obliged to come to the conclusion that we are 
not strong enough for these things. For the most part we are 
composed of busy men, who take up science as a recreation and 
‘who have not the time, and few have, the ability to deal with 
such matters. It may seem alame conclusion, and I do not like it 
myself, but a long experience of this Society has convinced me that 
until a younger and more energetic class of members joins us we cannot 
do more than go on in our old-fashioned ways, and we must content 
yourselves as best we can in so doing. I have often thought we 
ought to make something more of our annual and field excursions so 
far as science is concerned. They did so in the early stages of the 
