11 



one years' existence, I little thought such an inroad would 

 be made upon the dwindling band whose membership dates 

 back to 1872 ; yet since that evening death has deprived us 

 not only of the ripe learning and genial companionship of 

 my predecessor in this chair, but of two other Past Presidents 

 also — all members whose record here goes back to the first 

 months of the Society's existence. 



In John Jenner Weir we have lost one of those men whose 

 names alone are of great value to any society to which they 

 may belong ; but our loss was the greater in that for years 

 Mr. Weir was a regular attendant at our meetings and at the 

 Council, and his very extensive knowledge of all branches of 

 Biology was thus constantly at our service. A gentleman ex- 

 pressed to me his surprise that we should have waited almost 

 till the last year of Mr. Weir's honourable life before electing 

 him to the presidential chair. Possibly the same thought 

 may have occurred to some of you ; therefore it would be 

 well to state that the position was open to our late friend 

 almost any time within the last dozen years. We might 

 almost say in the words of Mark Antony: 



" We thrice presented him a kingly crown, 

 ■ Yet he did thrice refuse ; " 



and the highest position we could prevail upon him to take 

 was the Vice-Presidency, which he filled for several years, 

 until two years ago he could no longer hold out against our 

 unanimous choice of him as President. 



By the passing away of John Richard Wellman we have 

 lost the first President of the Society, and one who did much 

 to shape it and to make its infancy a success. It is a long 

 retrospect from our present gathering in these roomy and 

 comfortable quarters to those hot summer evenings in the 

 small and stuffy room at Dunn's Institute, Newington 

 Causeway, nearly twenty-three years ago, where I first met 

 him. We were perfect strangers, but after a little conversa- 

 tion he and Mr. J. P. Barrett, the Secretary, undertook to be 

 sponsors for me, and I was elected a member. From that 

 evening until many years later we always left the meetings 

 together, and I counted it a pleasure to walk two or three 

 miles out of my way each time in order that I might enjoy 

 his company. In the two succeeding years he was re-elected 

 President, and again in 1883. For very many years he sat 

 upon the Council ; and until his illness a few years ago, 

 which shattered his constitution, he was one of the most 

 devoted members the Society had. Many of our members 



