57 



ADDHESS OF THE PRESIDENT, 



Prof. G. B. Howes, Sec.L.S., etc. 



Delivered Fehrunnj liih, 1896. 



Ladies and Gentlemejt, 



In acquiescing to the proposal that I should deliver an address on the 

 present occasion, I was reminded by our Secretary that to do so would 

 be to conform to a " good old custom " ; and, in accordance with this, 

 lot me firstly oiler some remarks by way of comment upon current 

 research, and secondly say a few words of a more critical nature 

 upon our relationships towards our fellow-zoologists, and upon the 

 position of our chosen subject in the role of science. 



It is now eighteen months since my predecessor in office delivered 

 a formal address ; and, looking back upon the work which our Society 

 has accomplished in the interval, I feel myself proud to have been 

 associated with it. Our meetings, although at times small, have 

 been attended by people who came to work, and our discussions 

 have been the more beneficial as they have been the more heated. In 

 systematics we can show good results all along the line : Mr. Hedley 

 has laid before us a good ease for the Heteropod affinities of the 

 mysterious Pterosoma * ; Mr. Martin "Woodward has given us papers 

 on anatomy of much value; and Mr. Burne, in his "Notes on the 

 Anatomy of Hanleya ahi/ssorum,'' has put before us the results of 

 an unusually laborious piece of work, having for its immediate object 

 the settlement of debated points in minute structural detail. Mr. 

 Burne' s paper is worthy its association with the institution whence 

 it emanated ; and when we consider the difficult nature of his task, 

 we have special cause to be thankful to the man who will act as 

 peace-maker between contending parties, let it cost him what it may, 

 if only he can arrive at the truth. Nor must I forget that we have 

 been honoured by a valuable commimication from our distinguished 

 foreign member, Dr. H. Simroth. 



Although the past year has not witnessed the removal by death 

 of any member of our Society — an indication, let us hope, that 

 Malacology is conducive to longevity — we have to mourn the loss of 

 those who had direct and personal sympathy with our labours and 

 with work of the kind upon which we are engaged, wherever 

 performed in earnest — Thomas Henry Huxley — Sven Ludwig Loven 

 ■ — John Bracebridge Wilson. 



Beyond what I have previously remarked to you concerning Huxley 

 (Vol. I, p. 289), I may say that he once expressed to me his interest 

 in our Society and desire for its success. His joint monograph with 



1 Thus confirming the conclusions of CoUingwood — "Rambles of a Naturalist on 

 the shores and waters of the China Sea," p. 64, 8vo, Loudon, 1SG8. 



VOL. II. — JULY, 1896. 5 



