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The Society never has been, and by reason of its position 

 never can be, quite on all fours with the provincial local 

 society. Some of the work that is specially fitted to the 

 provincial society hardly comes within its purview. Nor does 

 it ape the functions of the larger learned societies. Neverthe- 

 less it has a useful purpose to serve. Although it has always 

 regarded entomology as its first principle, it has, by the 

 widening of the scheme of its operations to include general 

 natural history, opened the door to fields of research much 

 larger than the simple study of insects. Pure entomology 

 goes no further than the study of the insects themselves. 

 Natural history goes much further: it opens up that vast field 

 of research, the interdependence of natural life, in which the 

 insect plays its part. Above all things the Society has from 

 the first sought to foster the study of Nature among its 

 members, to bring them into touch with one another's work, 

 to assist them in their difficulties, and in its humble way to 

 further a desire to seek out the why and the wherefore of 

 the everyday occurrences that are taking place around us in 

 Nature. To what extent it has succeeded will be best 

 gathered from the following statement of its history : 



The Society's first place of meeting was the reading-room 

 of Dunn's Institute, in Newington Causeway, and at the 

 first quarterly meeting, held on Wednesday, June igth, 

 1872, Mr. J. R. Wellman was elected President, the other 

 officers being — Hon. Secretary Mr. J. P. Barrett, Treasurer 

 Mr. Marsh, and the Council Messrs. Bowden, Cowley, Hoey, 

 West (Greenwich), and J. T. Williams. Of these some have 

 passed away, others, from one reason and another, are no 

 longer with us, but Mr. West, who early in the Society's 

 history was elected curator, still efficiently occupies that 

 position, and Mr. J. P. Barrett, although removed from the 

 sphere of its activities, is still a member. 



The early years of the Society appear to have been 

 attended by considerable success. New members were 

 elected at many of its meetings, until, by the end of its 

 seventh year, the membership totalled upwards of ninety. The 

 formation of a library was one of the first matters taken in 

 hand ; frequent donations were made to it by authors and 

 members, and books were also purchased for its enrichment 

 from time to time as funds permitted. This library has 

 steadily progressed ever since, and is now a valuable medium 

 for reference among the members ; indeed, it has grown to 

 such an extent that its housing is a frequent source of anxiety 

 to the librarian and council. In 1880 the formation of a 



