15 



them. Sectional work of this kind, successfully carried out, could 

 not but be a great benefit both to themselves and the Society, and 

 in a comparatively short time they would find themselves m 

 the happy position of never having a dearth of papers or 

 interesting discussion. 



In conclusion, he thanked them most warmly for the kind 

 consideration and attention they had paid to the chair durmg his 

 occupation of it. In accepting the honour-one of the greatest 

 honours of his life-he felt that, however incompetent, he ought 

 not to shrink from doing what appeared to be his duty, and that 

 he would try and do his best for the Society. He was fuUy 

 conscious of having fallen far short of what he would wish to have 

 done but he had been sustained throughout by the thought that 

 they would be generous enough to throw the mantle of chanty 

 over his numerous shortcomings. He, then, with great pleasure, 

 asked Mr. G. D. Sawyer to assume the presidency of the meeting, 

 for that gentleman took great interest in the work of the Society, 

 and had been intimately associated with its management for many 

 years • and he knew Mr. Sawyer would fulfil the duties of the 

 office with abiUty and zeal, and he wished them health to enjoy 

 its pleasures. 



Mr G D Sawyer, the new President took the chair, and 

 thanked the Members of the Natural History Society very 

 sincerely for the honour they had done him in asking him to 

 preside over their meetings during the ensuing year. 



He did not hesitate to acknowledge that he considered it a 

 very high honour to be called to the presidency of a Society 

 holding such an influential position in the town as the Brighton 

 and Sussex Natural History Society does. This position has been 

 a steadily but surely advancing one, and he felt warranted in 

 affirming that the esteem in which it is held by their fellow 

 townsmen is second to none, and is stiU increasing. Month by 

 month had seen the increase of their roll of Members by the 



