1920.] Letters, E.vtracts, and NotcR. 513" 



"In 1898 a contemplated Subject Index was abandoned 

 for vvant of funds, but was again taken up and completed 

 in 1899, tliougb only partly paid for in that year, the balance 

 being carried over and finally settled in 1901. 



"In 1904 it was reported that for the first year on 

 record there were no outstanding accounts and that there 

 was n. genuine balance of £36. In tlie years previous it is 

 recorded that many writers had been called on to pay the 

 ex[)eiises of their articles and plates. 



" In 1909 the balance rose to £224, but decreased by 

 £100 in the following year on account of the payment of 

 cost of the [)ublicalion of the Jubilee Snpjjlenient. 



"It will thus be seen that the Union has always more or 

 less depended upon donations from members, and has never 

 really liad a bahmce which it could devote to the advance- 

 ment of Ornithology by any means other than the publication 

 of ' The Ibis.' 



"The Committee feel that this position is unworthv of 

 a leading Ornithological Society, and that therefore some 

 effort must be made to put it on a sounder financial basis. 



"We are glad to be able to report that the Trustees of the 

 British INIuseuni have made a generous donation of £250 

 towards the cost of publishing Museum articles in 'The 

 Ibis/ and it is hoped that the donation will be an annual 

 one; but this alone will not suffice to meet the expected 

 deficit. 



"The Committee therefore recommend (1) That the 

 Entrance Fee be increased from £2 to £4, and (2) That 

 * The Ibis ' be sold to the public at the rate of lOs. 

 per number, and to members at 85. It is hoped that the 

 amount received in this manner will approach another 

 £200 per annum and that it may, together with the 

 donation from the Trustees of the British jNTusenm, meet 

 the additional cost of pu])lishing 'The Ibis.^ \{^ however, 

 it does not do so and also leave some balance in hand to 

 meet anticipated expenditure on other publications, the 

 Committee will be compelled to recommend an increase in 

 the subscription at tiie next annual meeting. 



