266 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



May 2, 1883.-J. W. Dunning, Esq., M.A., F.L.S., &c, President, 

 in the chair. 



Messrs. E. A. Butler (Aruold House, University School, Hastings) and 

 W. H. Miles (33, Paris Street, Palace Road, Lambeth, S.E.) were balloted 

 for and elected Members of the Society. 



The President, in the course of an address, observed: — " We this day 

 complete the fiftieth year of our existence. It was on the 3rd May, 1833, 

 that nine gentlemen— Messrs. Children, J. E. Gray, G. R. Gray, Hope, 

 Horsfield, Rudd, Stephens, Vigors, and Yarrell— met and resolved to found 

 the Entomological Society of London. No time was lost; for on the 22iid 

 of the same month the first General Meeting was held at the Thatched 

 House Tavern, the Rev. Win. Kirby was chosen Honorary President, 103 

 Members were enrolled, and a Council of thirteen were chosen to complete 

 the organization of the Society and prepare rules for its government. Rooms 

 were taken at No. 17, Old Bond Street, and on the 4th November, 1833, 

 under the Presidency of Mr. Children, the then Secretary of the Royal 

 Society, a code of Bye-Laws was adopted, and our first scientific meeting was 

 held. Of the Original Members, six, and six only, still survive — Prof. C. C. 

 Babington, the Rev. Leonard Jenyns (now Blomefield), Sir Sidney S. 

 Saunders, Mr. W. B. Spence, Mr. G. R. Waterhouse, and Prof. Westwood. 

 Of these Mr. Waterhouse has the additional distinction of having been 

 one of the original Council, and the first Curator of the Society. Our 

 meetings continued to be held at 17, Old Bond Street from 1833 until 

 1852, when we removed to No. 12, Bedford Row; during nine sessions 

 commencing in 1866. by the kindness of the Linnean Society, we assembled 

 in Burlington House, but our Library remained at Bedford Row. In 1875 

 the Library and place of meeting were again united in this house ; and 

 though the building operations now in progress have prevented us from 

 indulging in any celebration of our Jubilee, we Bhall soon be in the enjoy- 

 ment of improved accommodation, and I hope it may be long before the 

 Society has again to change its quarters. ' The Entomological Society of 

 London is instituted for the improvement and diffusion of Entomological 

 Science.' From first to last, this has been our only object. To bring 

 fellow-workers into friendly communication, and facilitate the interchange 

 of ideas, to extract the hidden knowledge of secluded students, to provide 

 a Library for consultation, to encourage observation and experiment, 

 and to publish the results for the benefit of all whom they may concern — 

 such is our aim, the very reason of our being. And I venture to assert 

 that the Society has succeeded in its object. If any be inclined to doubt, 

 I refer him to the thirty volumes of our 'Transactions,' to the record of 

 ' Proceedings ' at our more than 600 meetings, as proof of the activity and 

 the unfailing ardour with which the Society has now for half a century 

 devoted itself to the diffusiou of entomological science. 



