Ixvi 



synonjnny, contain detailed descriptions of hosts of new species 

 and notes on habits and economy. Elected a member of this 

 Society in 1850, he was one of the most constant in his attendance, 

 and for many years served on the Council ; he was President in 

 18G2 and 1863, was repeatedly a Vice-President, and had been 

 re-appointed to that office only a fortnight before his death. All 

 will remember his never-failing readiness to impart his knowledge 

 to others, and whenever he was appealed to on any question 

 respecting our indigenous Hymenoptera he had always something 

 valuable to communicate, not taken second-hand from others, but 

 the result of his own personal observation. It was in the field 

 rather than the study that he was at home, where his power 

 of accurate observation had full play ; in his knowledge of our 

 indigenous Hymenoptera and acquaintance with their habits he 

 stood without a rival. His death took place on the 16th February, 

 at the ripe age of seventy -three. 



Mr. William Wilson Saunders was originally an officer in 

 the Engineers, and served for a short time in India ; but he soon 

 quitted the army, and returned to England before the formation 

 of this Society, of which he was one of the original members. 

 His first entomological paper, " Notes on the Habits of some 

 Indian Insects," was read on the 7th April, 1834, and is published 

 in the first volume of our Transactions. From that time until 

 1873 he was unceasing in his attention to our affairs ; our 

 volumes contain numerous contributions from his pen ; he was 

 President in 1841 and 1843, and again in 1856 and 1857 ; it was 

 owing to his liberality that the Society was enabled from time to 

 time to offer prizes for essays on various subjects connected with 

 Economic Entomology; and there must be many now present who 

 remember the pleasant excursions to Reigate to which he was 

 wont to invite us, when, after a day's ramble on the Surrey hills, 

 the whole Society was asked to enjoy his hospitality. Nor was it 

 tliis Society alone that had the benefit of his services ; elected a 

 Fellow of the Linnean in 1833, and of the Royal in 1853, he was 

 for twelve years the Treasurer of the former, and for several 

 years a Vice-President of the Horticultural Societ3\ In fine, he 

 was ever ready to devote both his time and his wealth to the 

 furtherance of Natural Science ; his munificence enabled collectors 

 to prosecute their researches in foreign lands, and assisted in the 

 publication of their discoveries. As long as fortune favoured 



