After the completion of the necessary business of the Society, the rest of the 
afternoon was devoted to the examination of the books and collections of the 
Society, and the consideration of specimens brought by the members. Among 
these may be mentioned some live ant-lions (Myrmelionide) brought from 
Indiana by Mr. Fletcher; a collection of Plusias, and other moths recently 
- captured at Nepigon by Dr. Bethune, and some very interesting specimens of 
Lepidoptera, from the Province of Quebec, by Mr. Fyles. 
The meeting adjourned at 6 p.m. 
In the evening the Society held a public meeting in its rooms at 8 o'clock, 
which was largely attended by members and other friends from London and the 
neighbourhood. The Rey. Dr. Bethune, President of the Society, occupied the 
chair. After cordially welcoming those present, he proceeded to deliver the 
annual address upon the chief topies of interest in the Entomological world dur- 
ing the past year. 
ANNUAL ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT. 
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,—Fifteen years have gone by since I last had the 
honour of addressing the members of the Society as its President. So longa period 
of time has naturally wrought great changes in our comparatively small circle of 
members, as well as in the world about us; but I am happy to see here 
to-night some who were with us at our annual meeting in 1875, and to know 
that many others have continued ever since their active interest in the welfare of 
the Society and the advancement of entomological science. For twelve years the 
presidential chair was most worthily filled by our highly esteemed friend, Prof. 
Wim. Saunders, who only resigned it in order to devote his whole time and 
energies to the great and important work which he has undertaken as director of 
the experimental farms of the Dominion. His great success in this new office is 
well known to all who take an intelligent interest in the prosperity of our country. 
The removal of Prof. Saunders from an active share in the work of the 
Society seemed a very serious blow, and was certainly a very great loss, but 
happily we were able to find a worthy successor in the person of our excellent 
friend, Mr. James Fletcher, Dominion Entomologist and Botanist, who has so 
zealously performed the duties appertaining to the office of president during the 
last three years. With such able men at its head during so long a period of time, 
it may be readily understood how substantial was the progress of the Society, 
and how high was the reputation it achieved both at home and abroad. 
The past year has been in some respects an eventful one in the history of the 
Society. In the month of April last 1 learned that Mr. Edmund Baynes Reed 
was about to leave this province and take charge of the meteorological station at 
Victoria, British Columbia. He was one of the original members, and for more 
than five and twenty years an active and zealous officer of the Society, filling at 
different times the positions of vice-president, secretary-treasurer, auditor, librarian 
and curator. To his energy it is due that we have obtained so large and valuable 
a collection of scientific books in our library ; he also contributed many excellent 
papers to our annual reports, while discharging various other useful functions in 
the interests of the Society. His removal from amongst us was so serious a 
matter that I came up to London to make arrangements for the future manage- 
ment of our affairs, as well as to say good-bye to an old and very dear friend. 
After much consultation with Mr. Reed and other members of the council, we 
devised a plan for the general conduct of the business of the Society which has 
