211 



"Eive whole-day and ten half-day excursions were arranged 

 for during the year, a new departure having been instituted 

 in fixing outdoor meetings in the winter as well as summer 

 months. Owing to the unfavourable'state of the weather, how- 

 ever, on the days fixed for Saturday afternoon excursions in the 

 months of May, June, July, and August those meetings 

 virtually fell through, proposed visits to the Botanical and Zoo- 

 logical G-ardens being amongst the number. 



" Seven evening meetings have been held most of iwhich were 

 fairly attended. On two of these occasions demonstra- 

 tions in taxidermy were given hj Mr. Gr. Beazley with the kind 

 permission of the Museum authorities. 



"In the month of May, 18S5, the Committee received with 

 great regret the resignation of the Honorary Secretary of the 

 Section, Mr. W. E. Pickels, E.E.M.S., on account of his removal 

 to another colony. The Committee desire to express their 

 sense of the loss sustained by the Section in consequence of 

 this step, and their appreciation of the energy and ability with 

 which Mr. Pickels conducted its affairs. 



"A by-law has been passed by the Section requiring Fellows 

 of the E-oyal Society to pay a registration fee of one shilling 

 each if desirous of becoming members of the Section. This 

 action has been confirmed by the Eoyal Society. 



" Thirty members have been added to the Section during the 

 year, but about fifty names have been removed from the roll, 

 either on account of resignations, non-payment of subscriptions, 

 or for other reasons. The present number of members is 

 therefore less than at the close of last year. It is evident that 

 very many of those whose names appeared on the roll have 

 taken but little interest in the active work of the Section, not 

 a few having never attended any of its meetings, and others 

 but very seldom. 



"During the year the Council of the Eoyal Society conferred 

 on the Section the honour of invitinglthe members of the latter 

 to be present at the meetings of the Eoyal Society. 



" The expenses of the Section have been, as in the previous 

 year, much greater than the receipts from subscriptions, the 

 latter amounting to about £20, while the disbursements 

 (chiefly for printing and postage), have been about £40. It 

 is intended, however, to adopt a system in the coming year by 

 which it is hoped the Section will become self-supporting. 

 " For the Committee, 



" W. H. Selway, Jui^., Hon. Sec." 



Professor Tate, in reference to the report, said the expense 

 were about double the amount of the receipts. He hoped to 

 see a balance on the right side next year, so that there might 

 be a surplus to set apart for awarding prizes. He would 



