( ix ) 



should have formed a bond of union and friendship between them ? Surely 

 an Association like this fulfils a useful purpose if it does nothing more than 

 perform the humble function of the string that binds the pearls together. 



At the outset it was part of the plan of operations that a Collection of 

 Insects should be formed ; and in 1835 the Rev. Wm. Kirby presented his 

 entire collection of entomological objects to the Society, unfettered by any 

 restriction whatever. It was found, however, that the formation and 

 maintenance of a General Entomological Museum were more than the 

 resources of the Society would warrant; and in 1855 the Exotic Collection 

 was discontinued. Eventually, after thirty years' experience, the formation 

 of a British Collection was also abandoned; the Kirbyan cabinets, and all 

 the type-specimens, found a permanent home in the British Museum; and 

 the Curator of the Society was merged in the Librarian. 



Of the nine gentlemen who have filled the office of Curator or Librarian, — 

 Messrs. Waterhouse, Pickering, Shuckard, Westwood, Bainbridge, Frederick 

 Smith, Janson, T. A. Marshall, and Grut, — Mr. Smith occupied it for 

 fourteen and Mr. Janson for twenty years ; the present occupant is only ia 

 his sixth year of office, but it must be the wish and hope of all that he will 

 continue to give us the benefit of his services for many years to come. 



Of Treasurers we have had but six — Messrs. Hope, Yarrell, Samuel 

 Stevens, M'Lachlan, J. Jenner Weir, and Edward Saunders. Of these 

 Mr. Yarrell acted for eighteen and Mr. Stevens for twenty years. I trust 

 the present Treasurer will grow as old in office as the oldest of his 

 predecessors. 



Originally there was but one Secretary, and the first was George Robert 

 Gray ; but at the beginning of 1834 he gave place to Mr. Westwood, and 

 although Mr. W. B. Spence was for two or three years appointed Foreign 

 Secretary, it was not until 1847 that two Secretaries were authorized by 

 the Bye-Laws, and Mr. Westwood was provided with a colleague. The 

 subsequent occupants of the office have been Messrs. Evans, Edward 

 Doubleday, Douglas, Stainton, Wing, Shepherd, Janson, Dunning, Sharp, 

 M'Lachlan, Grut, Verrall, Butler, Meldola, Distant, Fitch, and Kirbv; so 

 that by a curious coincidence the Society has during fifty years had just 

 as many Secretaries as it has had Presidents. 



Including our Honorary President, who died in 1850 at the patriarchal 

 age of ninety-two, I have had twenty predecessors in this chair. It has 

 throughout been one of our rules that the officers shall be elected annually, 

 and that the President shall not hold that office for more than two years 

 consecutively. Messrs. Children, Stephens, Newport, Spence, G. R. Water- 

 house, Newman, J. E. Gray, Douglas, F. Smith, Pascoe, A. R. Wallace, 

 Sir S. S. Saunders, and Stainton have each held it for two consecutive years ; 

 Mr. Curtis for one year ; Mr. Bates for three ; Mr. W. Wilson Saunders 

 and Sir John Lubbock for four ; the Rev. F. W. Hope and Prof. Westwood 



c 



