Zoological Club. 4 5 7 



Square, at eight o'clock in the evening, on the second and 

 fourtli Tuesdays of every month throughout the year. 



Before the Club proceeded to the election of their Officers 

 and the other business of the day, the following opening Ad- 

 dress, explanatory of the views of the Club, was delivered by 

 the Rev. Wm. Kirby, who was called unanimously to the 

 chair. 



Address of the Chairman {Iiev.Wn.i,i am Kirby, M.A. F.R. 

 and L.S., ^-c.) read at the Meeting of the Zoological Club of 

 the Linnccan Society held at the Society's House in Soho 

 Square, Nov. 29, 1 823. 



Gentlemen, 



Before we proceed to business, permit me to address a few 

 words to you, upon what appear to me to be the principal 

 objects of our association, and upon the best methods of car- 

 r3ing them into effect. I see many Gentlemen here present 

 who, from their more extended knowledge of every branch of 

 the science from which we take our name, are much more 

 competent than myself to perform this task to your satisfaction, 

 and upon some one of them I could wish it had devolved : but 

 as your kindness has placed me in this chair, I will endeavour 

 to fulfill this part of my official duty to the best of my abilities. 

 I must previously state, however, that particular circumstances 

 and engagements have unavoidably prevented my putting my 

 thoughts together till after my arrival in town. They have,' 

 m consequence, been arranged more hastily than I could have 

 wished, and without the aid of books. I must therefore solicit 

 your indulgence for any imperfections of style or matter that 

 may strike you in this address. 



Zoology may be regarded as including several provinces, in 

 every one of which our knowledge is at present very imper- 

 fect; and thei'efore contributions upon every subject which 

 the}^ include, as your taste and turn of mind may lead you, 

 provided there is no waste of time and talent upon what is tri- 

 vial and uninteresting, or has been already thoroughly investi- 

 gated, will be acceptable and valuable. 



There is one of these provinces that I think ought to stand 

 high in the esteem of every patriot Zoologist — I mean the 

 study of the animals that are natives or periodical visitants of 

 his own country. An indigenous Fauna is the first desidera- 

 tum in our science ; and could a work of this kind be accom- 

 plished in every country, regard being had to natural bound- 

 aries, we n)ight hope to become acquainted with all the prin- 

 j)al grou})s of animals, and get a much more coriect idea, 

 than with our present imperfect knowledge we can attain 



\\)1. 62. No. 308. Dec. 1 823, 3 M to, 



