172 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION 



who, with the active assistance of our secretary and bailiff, 

 and with our support and encouragement, will remove 

 those cruel evils in our present system of preservation." 



The following short particulars give some idea of the 

 formation and history of such few of the London Angling 

 Societies as responded to my application for them. I 

 regret personally that they are so few, in opposition to the 

 lengthy list of provincial societies. The regret, however 

 keenly felt, will not unfortunately supply the deficiency. 



THE PISCATORIAL SOCIETY. 



In the year 1836 a few friends, who were in the habit of 

 meeting at the " Granby Tavern/' South Audley Street, 

 Grosvenor Square, who were devoted to angling, and 

 frequently made parties for competing in a friendly 

 manner, resolved to form an association to take the name 

 of " The Piscatorial Society." 



This was done in October of the same year, the object 

 of the Society being to meet their friends and associates in 

 social conversation and harmony (religion and politics 

 being excluded), to encourage fair angling ; while a portion 

 of the funds was to be appropriated to prizes, and forming 

 a museum and collecting works on angling, &c. Rules 

 were formed, and under their Secretary, the late Mr. 

 Cotterill, the Society was launched and has sailed on 

 progressively to the present time. 



In the course of the past 47 years they have had a great 

 many good anglers, who have contributed largely to the 

 museum and library. The late Frank Buckland, Esq., an 

 old member, was especially devoted to their welfare, and 

 frequently gave a lecture on the Natural History of Fishes. 

 He presented, in conjunction with the late H. L. Rolfe, Esq., 

 a cast of pike, which was painted in his usual excellent 



