THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 39 



ANNUAL REPORT. 



The hon. secretary (Rev. W. Fielder) then read the thirteenth 

 annual report, 1892-3, which was as follows : — 



" To the Members of the Field NaturaUsts' Club of Victoria^ 

 Ladies and Gentlemen, — Your committee have much pleasure 

 in presenting to you the thirteenth annual report of the Club's 

 doings, being for the period ending 30th April, 1893. 



" The membership of the Club continues to show an increase, 

 43 members, of whom 4 were ladies, and 3 junior members 

 having been elected. As usual, of these newly elected ones some 

 13 have not as yet qualified themselves for membership by pay- 

 ment of the necessary subscription, so that really only 30 

 additional names have to be permanently added to our list. 

 Naturally, the continued commercial depression has materially 

 affected some of our members, as evidenced by several resignations, 

 but we begin a new year with no less than 228 members on the 

 roll, of whom 213 are on the subscription list, the rest being either 

 life or hon. members. 



" One prominent hon. member has passed away, to the regret of 

 those who valued him for his contributions to our botanical know- 

 ledge. We allude to the late Rev. Dr. Woolls, F.L.S., of Sydney. 

 Since his election in 1884 he showed his interest in the Club by 

 contributing no less than six papers to our journal, most of them 

 dealing with the economic phase of botany. Death has also 

 robbed our ranks of another hon. member in the person of Mr. 

 R. D. Fitzgerald, F.L.S., also of Sydney, well known for his 

 work on the Australian orchids ; whilst this section of our list 

 has been strengthened by the addition of Mr. T. A. Forbes-Leith, 

 one of the original members and office-bearers of the Club, but 

 now resident in England, and Mr. A. H. S. Lucas, M.A., B.Sc. 



" The number of papers read has been fully sustained, the 

 supply being equal to the demand. An analysis of this list shows 

 that zoology claimed 9, botany i, geology 3, general subjects 

 3, trips 2, and excursions 13. The thanks of the Club are due 

 to those who have in this way not only proved themselves 

 practical naturalists, but have been at pains to put their obser- 

 vations and experience at the disposal of their fellow-members. 



" We only wish that the list of new contributors had been longer, 

 feeling assured that there are many members who would prove 

 frequent contributors if only the initiatory step in the shape of a 

 first contribution could be accomplished. 



*' The Victorian Naturalist has continued its course successfully, 

 and has just entered upon its tenth year of issue. Judging from a 

 steady demand for complete sets, it seems to be gaining a place 

 on the shelves of many public and private libraries. In this con- 

 nection we may note that, owing to his election to the head- 

 mastership of Newington College, Sydney, Mr. Lucas, M.A., B.Sc, 



