THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



Gentlemen, 



At the termination of his period of office it has 

 been customary for each retiring President to say a few 

 words before vacating the Chair. I have great pleasure in 

 conforming to the estabhshed rule. 



Our Society continues to flourish, and regarded from a 

 financial point of view may be said to be thoroughly sound. 

 Some twelve or thirteen years ago we were in a very low 

 state, and it was thought that a change of residence would 

 be beneficial, so we removed from a chapel or school-room^ 

 first to a coffee-palace, then to an auction-room, once more 

 to an hotel, and finally to our present commodious habita- 

 tion. I think it may be said that we commenced to improve 

 soon after our first change of abode had been effected ; 

 however, it is certain that each subsequent change resulted 

 in an accession of vigour, until at the present time we may 

 boast of being about as robust as at any time during our 

 career. 



The Society's collections, which still continue under the 

 able care of Mr. W. West, have been considerably enriched 

 by the addition of the valuable Herbarium formed by the 

 late Mr. W. H. Tugwell, and presented to us by Mr. C. A. 

 Briggs, to whom we are much indebted for this very appro- 

 priate memento of our late member and past President. 



Instead of an Exhibition, which we have held more or less 

 annually for a series of years, we had in i8g6 an evening set 

 apart for exhibiting varieties. This was a great success from 

 every point of view, and your Council may probably arrange 

 for similar exhibitions in future years. 



Mr. Knock's instructive lecture on the life-history of 

 Cicendela campestris, which was illustrated by lantern slides 

 prepared by the lecturer, was largely attended. It is really 

 most kind of Mr. Enock to help us in this manner, and I 

 am sure that we all feel deeply obliged to him. 



Mr. Fred Clark has also brought our lantern into use 



