122 



In making these observations I cannot but feel that it may be the 

 opinion of the majority of the Members of this Society that it were 

 better to limit our acquisitions to books alone, that the possession of 

 a first-rate library should be our aim, and that a collection of insects 

 is not of importance, since every Member, or at least nearly so, forms 

 a private collection of his own of the particular Order to which he 

 principally devotes his study. However this may be, I am quite 

 satisfied in my own mind, that this Society would be far better off 

 without a collection, than with that ^which is now called the Col- 

 lection of British Insects of the Entomological Society of London, and 

 which, in its present condition, can only be considered a reproach. 



T]ie Society s Finances. 



Although the Auditors' Abstract of Accounts shows an increase in 

 our expenses during the past year, and that such expenses have ex- 

 ceeded those of 1861 by the sum of 5052 13s. Qd., still, when this is 

 known to have arisen entirely from our having published five parts 

 of the ' Transactions,' some of them unusually large, and thus, by 

 one vigorous effort, cleared away all the accumulated arrears of 

 Papers, I feel confident the Members will not think the Council have 

 been imprudently lavish. I have no doubt the result will prove the 

 additional outlay to have been a wise economy. Our present liabilities 

 are not a pound more than they were last year, and we have still a 

 balance in hand independent of our funded capital. 



I am much gratified by being able to report to you, that during the 

 past year we have elected ten Members and four Subscribers, an 

 increase which certainly indicates the spread of entomological Science. 

 Our losses, I regret to find, have been yerj great, more I fear than 

 have occurred for many years ; this is, however, attributable to cir- 

 cumstances which, let us hope, will not again occur to sow disunion 

 amongst our ranks. Let us learn under all circumstances to act in 

 strict accordance with the laws of our Society ; and although it may 

 happen that a majority of the members hold opinions at variance with 

 our own, let us constantly bear in mind that we have bound ourselves 

 to be governed by the majority on all occasions, and have attested 

 our determination to do so by subscribing our names in the signature- 

 book of the Society. 



Ohituary. 



During the past year Entomology has lost its most illustrious illus- 

 trator : John Curtis, Esq., died on the 6th day of October, 1862, in 

 the 71st year of his age. Mr. Curtis was only for a short time a 



