THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS, 



Gentlemen, 



As custom requires that at the Anniversary Meeting the Presi- 

 dent should deliver an Address on the state and prospects of this 

 Society, and Entomology generally, I have prepared a few observations 

 on these subjects, to which I have now to request your attention. 



Finance. 



Our balance-sheet for the year 1861 shows the receipts (including 

 the balance in hand for 1860) to have been £378 12s. Ad., and the 

 payments to have been ^6156 Qs., leaving a balance in favour of the 

 Society of £122 Gs. 4cl. But part of the receipts (£47 5s.) is derived 

 from three composition fees, part (£37 15.s.) from donations by two of 

 our members towards the cost of altering and lighting the I'ooms, and 

 part (£5) to a payment by Mr. Parrell ; so that if it had not been for 

 these extraordinary sources of income there would have been a large 

 deficit ; moreover, we have only been able to publish three instead of 

 four parts of ' Transactions.' On the other hand the amount of 

 "liabilities" is much less than usual, and the number of "new 

 members" exhibits a slight increase. But the gift of the 'Trans- 

 actions' to the metropolitan members entails a loss of from £10 to 

 £15 a year upon the Society, which has not been compensated by the 

 election of new members in proportion, as it was hoped might be the 

 case when the new plan of giving our ' Transactions ' to the metro- 

 politan members was adopted. 



Last year I had to draw your attention lo the deficiency of the 

 " Tea Subscription," but as the amount subscribed during the year 

 (£12 5.9.) approximates to the cost (£13 13^), I have now no obser- 

 vation to offer on the subject. 



Election of Members. 

 During the past year we have elected four Members, viz., Signor 

 A. De Lacerda, James Rome, Esq., A. Murray, Esq., G. S. Saunders, 

 Esq., and ten Subscribers, viz., W. S. M. D'Urban, Esq., C. Fenn, 



