﻿12 



care of our excellent Honorary Curator, Mr. West, who has 

 spared neither time nor trouble in maintaining the specimens 

 in fine condition and preservation, at which he is such an 

 adept ; the only failing appears to be that his desiderata do 

 not arrive from friends in the abundance he could wish for, 

 the vacant spaces in the drawers still being very numerous. 



The Library, under the charge of our Honorary Librarian, 

 Mr. Rice, continues to improve ; and our special thanks 

 are due to a few members who seem to think it not an act of 

 charity, but a matter of duty, to add from time to time 

 valuable works to our bookshelves. 



Our heartiest thanks are due to my predecessor, Mr. Adkin, 

 through whose generosity our Council has been enabled to 

 place in the Library not only a very handsome, but roomy 

 book-case at a greatly reduced cost ; hence the regret of our 

 Librarian on account of the empty shelves. There is here 

 a fine opportunity for those of our members who wish to dis- 

 tinguish themselves, and gladden the heart of our Librarian, 

 by donations from some of their valuable stores of surplus 

 literature. 



The Cabinet Club which was started in 1886, to enable 

 members to become possessed of a cabinet by easy instal- 

 ments, has with the exception of some slight unavoidable 

 delay in delivery, been so far satisfactory ; the whole number 

 have been drawn, and, with two or three exceptions, delivered. 

 I believe I am right in saying they have given much satisfac- 

 tion. Many members who have recently joined the Societ}', 

 with others who did not avail themselves of the first club, 

 are now anxious that another on similar lines should be 

 started. Our Secretary is at the present moment thinking 

 the matter over, and will shortly bring it before you for 

 consideration. 



Many of our members will remember that in the month of 

 January, 1888, Mr. Coryndon Matthews (now one of our mem- 

 bers), wrote an article which was published in \hQ Entomologist, 

 the pith of which was, that a new entomological society should 

 be formed, more especially for the use of country members, 

 with headquarters in London. This was followed by a 

 number of private letters upon the same subject, showing 

 that there' was a distinct desire among gentlemen in various 



