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ANNUAL ADDRESS TO THE MEMBERS 



^outh Jioiulon (Ifntomoloiiical and gatural Di.stori) 



Read January 2(ith, 1905. 

 By Alfred Sich, F L.S. 



/"^ENTLEMEN, — When my illustrious predecessor, Mr. Step, 

 ^-^ commenced his memorable address last year by de- 

 ploring the fact that our Bye-laws compel a President to 

 deliver an address I certainly did not in the least agree with 

 him, because I thought, and hold the same opinion still, that 

 from the comfortable point of view of a member not in 

 office it is the one moment of the year which provides a 

 small thrill of excitement. 



When a President rises to deliver his address the other 

 members present have one thought in their minds : they feel 

 that someone is in rather a tight place and they are interested 

 to see how he will wriggle out of the net which Bye-law 19 

 has cast around the presidential chair. 



Being myself now in this glorious hx, I feel the force of 

 my predecessor's argument, but if I can make one tithe of 

 the impression on you that he did on us all last year I shall 

 feel also that my torture has not been entirely in vain. 



I think perhaps my first duty should be to ask for your 

 kind indulgence and pardon for my prolonged absence during 

 the year. This, as I think you all know, was caused by 

 illness in my family, which necessitated a sudden journey of 

 over goo miles. I am happy to say now that my family has 

 been quite restored to health. I think our worthy Secretary 

 will bear me out when I say that up to my departure and 

 since my return I have not missed any meeting. And, 



