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tions at first sight entirely remote from its sphere. The 

 universal abandonment of the doctrine of fixity of species, 

 which was an article of faith with almost every zoologist 

 in 1837, has introduced new interests, as well, it must be 

 confessed, as new difficulties, the extent of which we are 

 only beginning to appreciate. The definite systems of 

 classification and methods of nomenclature on which our 

 fathers relied utterly fail before the wider field of vision 

 which it is the privilege, as well as the embarrassment, 

 of the present generation of zoologists to realize. 



But it is no part of my intention, in the brief space of 

 time for which I shall ask your patience, to attempt to 

 give a history of the recent advances of zoological science 

 in general, but only, as requested by your Council, to say 

 a few words on the progress of the particular Institution 

 established for its cultivation in which we are personally 

 interested, and the duration of which is so nearly contem- 

 poraneous with that of Her Majesty's reign. 



Before this Society was founded there was no distinct 

 organization in the country devoted solely to collecting, 

 recording, and discussing the facts upon which zoological 

 science rests. The dignified parent of all our scientific 

 Societies, the Royal, certainly undertook, as it does still, 

 the discussion of many zoological subjects; but it could 

 not be expected to treat them in any detail. The Linnean 

 was a Society of great respectability, devoted solely to 

 biological research, both zoological and botanical, already 

 nearly forty years of age, and possessed of all the usual ap- 

 purtenances of a scientific organization — meetings, library, 

 and collections for reference. I cannot help thinking 

 that if its leading Fellows had, at that time, displayed 

 more energy, it might have kept in its hands the principal 

 direction of the biological studies of the country, instead 

 of allowing what has since proved so formidable a rival to 

 spring up, and to absorb so large a portion of its useful 

 functions. However, for reasons which it is perhaps not 

 worth while to inquire into now, it did not supply all the 

 needs of the lovers of Zoology ; and in the year 1826 an 

 active and zealous band united together and, as the Charter 

 tells us, " subscribed and expended considerable sums of 

 money for the purpose " of founding the Zoological Society 

 of London. 



The leading spirit of this band was Sir Stamford Raffles, 

 then just returned from the administration of those Eastern 



