XXXil Presidential Address. [February, 1911, 
I think I may safely say that in the quantity and quality 
of output, both in literary and scientific work, the past year 
has shown no diminution in activity in comparison with any of 
those that have preceded it. Numerous papers have been 
published in our Journal and Memoirs, some of them possess- 
Governments of India, Bengal, and Assam, who by their bene- 
factions have enabled the Society to perform this duty in a 
more adequate manner than could have been possible if it had 
had to rely upon its unaided resources. 
In addition to these publications and collections, which 
may be said to represent the fundamental and customary work 
of the Society, especially on its literary side, an attempt has 
been made to expand its sphere of usefulness by the admission 
of the general public to lectures, illustrated when possible, by 
lantern slides, on various subjects of common interest. Al- 
though these lectures did not form an entirely new departure 
as regards the year now closing, for one or two had been given 
Society’s functions, at least during the cold weather. For 
such is the success that has attended these lectures, and 80 
opportunities of acquiring some knowledge of subjects uncon 
nected with their daily avocations, that every effort should 
made to carry them on. At any rate the experiment, so far as 
it has gone, has shown that there is no lack, either of subjects 
oe for such lectures, or of men able and willing to deliver 
m. : 
_ During the winter season of 1909-10 two lectures were 
delivered by Dr. Annandale—the first on ‘‘ The life of a Sponge, 
and the second on the ‘“ Peoples of the Malay Peninsula, 
subject with which he had made himself familiar by @ “ 
study of the less known tribes of that forest-clad country: 
