xli 



October 1, 1879. 

 Sir John Lubbock, Bart., M.P,, V.-P.R.S., President, in the chair. 



Donations to the Library were announced, and thanks voted to the 

 respective donors. 



The President alluded to the loss which the Society had sustained by 

 the death of Mr. William Wilson Saunders, F.R.S,, who had been President 

 in 1841, 1856 and 1857. 



The President then announced that Lord Walsinghara, in conjunction 

 with other gentlemen, had placed at the disposal of the Council the 

 sum of £l(»0, to be awarded in two prizes of £50 each for the following 

 subjects : — 



1. The best and most complete life-history of Sclerostoma syugamus, 

 Dies., supposed to produce the so-called "gapes" in poultry, game, and 

 other birds. 



9. The best and most complete life-history of Strongijlus pergracilis, Cob , 

 supposed to produce the " grouse disease." 



No life-history would be considered satisfactory unless the different 

 stages of development were observed and recorded. The competition was 

 open to naturalists of all nationalities. The same observer might compete 

 for both prizes. Essays in English, German, or French were to be sent to 

 the Secretary of the Society on or before October 15th, 1882. 



Mr. M'Lachlan said that, with the greatest respect for the liberal offer 

 made to the Society by Lord Walsingham, he nevertheless considered the 

 Council had not held sufficiently in view the objects for which the Society 

 was instituted when they entertained his offer. The Society was now (as 

 almost always) languishing for want of funds sufficient to enable it to 

 efficiently carry out its purpose — the advancement of entomological science; 

 and he thought that if this were properly brought undnr the notice of Lord 

 Walsingham he might be willing to modify his offer so as to bring it within 

 the scope of the aims of the Society. By accepting the offer as it stood he 

 thought the Council had exposed the Society to the risk of ridicule. The 

 subject belonged more properly to the Linnean or Zoological Societies. It 

 was true that the subjects in which the Society was specially interested did 

 not consist exclusively of Insects, but they were limited to that division of 

 the Animal Kingdom classed under the comprehensive term Arthropoda, 

 and in no case could the Entozoa come within that division. 



Mr. Stainton remarked that when he heard an announcement made 

 from the chair, in which the Latin names of the species occurred, he fully 

 expected that, for the information of the younger members who were 

 present, the President would have stated to what order of insects they 

 belonged. If the creatures in question were not insects, he could not 



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