50 



ANNUAL ADDRESS TO THE MEMBERS 



^outh ^Condon Clntomoloriifal and Uatural listori) 



Read January 27///. 19 10. 

 By Alfred Sich, F.E.S. 



I 



THINK we may congratulate ourselves on having passed 

 through another prosperous year. We have increased our 

 membership and the average attendance at our meetings ; 

 and though on the whole the elements were not altogether 

 propitious, we have had exhibited a large number of interest- 

 ing specimens captured during the season. Perhaps the 

 chief event of the year, as regards our Society, was the 

 arrival of the splendid collections of British and European 

 Rhopalocera, so generously presented by Mrs. Freeman. As 

 so many of us now take a great interest in the butterflies of 

 Europe, and as there are so few first-class collections avail- 

 able for reference, this valuable gift is especially acceptable, 

 and should be the means of furthering still more the study 

 of those beautiful insects which we see around us during our 

 holidays abroad, as well as of helping us to understand more 

 fully our own limited number of I3ritish Rhopalocera. 



The President whom you have elected for 1910, Mr. W. J. 

 Kaye, has, as I think you are aware, sailed this day for 

 South America, and is, therefore, to his own and to our 

 regret, unable to be with us to-night. He contemplates being 

 away for about four months, and intends to study, in their 

 various aspects, the Rhopalocera of Brazil. As you all know 

 Mr. Ka5'e so well, it seems unnecessary for me to dilate on his 



