48 



THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



Gentlemen, 



Time, with that rigid punctuality which disregai'ds alike human 

 haste and human delay, relieves me to-night of those honourable duties 

 with which you have entrusted me; and, permitted by custom, I 

 indulge in a retrospective glance at our progress during the past 

 year. 



From the Report of the Library and Cabinet Committee you have 

 learned that our books and collections are in good preservation, but 

 that the exotic insects are in an unsatisfactory state as regards ar- 

 rangement and naming; an invitation is held out, to such of you as 

 are willing to give your services, to join the Committee and take part 

 in this most desirable labour, and I sincerely hope I shall hear of 

 members voluntarily coming forward and applying themselves to the 

 task : I believe I may even now hint to the Society an offer by Mr. 

 Smith to undertake the arrangement of the Hymenoptera, and we 

 know that there is no member of our Society so capable of accom- 

 plishing the task. 



I have particularly to congratulate the Society on the state of its 

 finances as disclosed in the Auditor's Report just read: two years ago, 

 owing to unusual and perhaps unavoidable outlay, the Society had 

 incurred a debt which was only liquidated a few days before I came 

 into office by the generous contributions of several of its members, 

 but 1 am fortunate, peculiarly fortunate, in having presided over the 

 Society for a period of two years during which it has been entirely 

 self-supporting, during which the Chancellor of our Exchequer has 

 drawn from legitimate sources all the funds requisite for the main- 

 tenance of our position, and now exhibits a large surplus applicable 

 to our future requirements. I lay great stress on these facts, because 

 I believe that all societies dependent on accidental, eleemosynary, or 



