( ciii ) 



THE ANNUAL MEETING. 



The Annual Meeting took place on Wednesday, January 16th, 

 1918, Dr. C. J. Gahan, M.A., D.Sc, President, being in the 

 Chair. 



Mr. W. G. Sheldon, one of the Auditors, read the Treasurer's 

 statement of Accounts, which was adopted on the motion of 

 Mr. Stanley Edwards, seconded by Mr. Frlsby. 



The Rev. G. Wheeler, one of the Secretaries, then read 

 the following 



Report of the Council. 



The Society has during the i)ast year felt in many direc- 

 tions the pressure of the war to a much greater extent than 

 had previously been the case. Although the attendance at 

 the meetings in the early part of the year was as large as 

 could be reasonably expected, yet, owing possibly to air-raids, 

 there were less than twenty present at either of the October 

 meetings; there has, however, latterly been a marked im- 

 provement in attendance, and at the December meeting the 

 numbers only fell just short of fifty. The standard of interest 

 of the meetings has, however, been well kept up, although, as 

 usually occurs, there have been one or two meetings when a 

 larger number of exhibits woidd have been welcome. 



With regard to numbers we are again somewhat reduced. 

 While twenty new Fellows have been elected we have lost 

 eight ordinary Fellows by death, nine by resignation and nine 

 by removal of names for non-payment of subscription, the 

 latter including the eight enemy aliens whose names were 

 still upon the list. We have also lost one Honorary Fellow 

 by death, viz. Dr. Emil Frey-Gessner of Geneva, whose 

 place has not yet been fdled up. The Council has also again 

 to regret the loss of one of its members in the death of Mr. 

 A. E. GiBBS, shortly after his re-election. It would be im- 

 possible to pass over the death of Mr. Gibbs without a tribute 

 to his usefulness both on the Council and more especially on 



