( lix ) 



some step in this direction must necessarily be taken at no 

 very distant date. This is merely thrown out as suggestive 

 of a possible method of meeting a difficulty which I know 

 occupies the thoughts of some of us, and must sooner or later 

 be dealt with. 



The Council have determined that the Catalogue of our 

 Library, when finished, should be sold to our Fellows at a 

 price just sufficient to cover the expense of its production, 

 and I here express a hope that those who have not already 

 ordered a copy will at once do so. 



One other subject remains to which I wish to call your 

 special attention. The Fellows are no donbt aware that a 

 clause in the "Military Lands (Consolidation) Bill, 1892," 

 introduced by the late Government as a modification of a 

 former Bill with greater powers, still rendered it practically 

 certain that a considerable portion of the New Forest would 

 (if the Bill passed) be converted into a Military Eifle Eange. 

 An agitation against this clause, from all classes of naturalists 

 throughout the Kingdom, was commenced, and petitions for its 

 repeal were obtained, with signatures from all who are inte- 

 rested in preserving the New Forest intact. Our Secretary, 

 Mr. Goss, was largely instrumental in formulating these 

 petitions, and, at a meeting of the Council of this Society 

 held in March last, Mr. Goss, and Mr. Elwes, a Vice- 

 President, were appointed to represent the Society at a 

 Government enquiry, held at Lyndhurst in April, and which 

 lasted five days. These gentlemen attended and gave evi- 

 dence ; and there is every reason to believe that the action 

 taken by this, and other Natural History Societies, had no 

 small influence in inducing the Government to repeal the 

 objectionable clause in the Bill referred to. 



1 must now thank you all for the consideration and courtesy 

 extended to me during the two years that I have occupied this 

 chair, and my thanks are especially due to the officers of the 

 Society, who have rendered me all the assistance in their 

 power. I am confident that the same consideration will be 

 extended to my successor. 



