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THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



Gentlemen, 



I remember being present at an Anniversary Meeting 

 of this Society when the President delivered an excellent Address, 

 and at the same time told us what an Address should comprise, and 

 in vs'hat manner each subject should be treated ; he added that 

 unless this was accomplished the custom of addressing you were 

 more honoured in the breach than in the observance. Now, gentle- 

 men, I don't like even to attempt an Address in fetters ; I know 

 I should fail : but as I have on all occasions received your most 

 cordial support, and as you have so kindly overlooked all my short- 

 comings, I am encouraged to ask at your hands permission to pursue 

 my own unguided way, just noticing such things as in my humble 

 judgment appear most important or interesting ; and I trust that in 

 any observations I may make you will give me credit for being 

 prompted by one feeling alone — a sincere wish for the welfare of the 

 Society in every respect, and a desire that it may be the means of 

 increasing the real benefits of Entomology a hundred fold. 



It has been customary, on previous Anniversary Meetings, for the 

 President to bring before you a statement of our finances, of the 

 number of Members added to our ranks during the previous year, and 

 a few other items connected with the management of the Society. 

 On the present occasion the Report of the Council supplies these 

 details, and relieves me of that portion of my task. 



During the past year the Society came to a decision, which in 

 my opinion was a wise one, to sell the remaining portion of our col- 

 lection of insects ; this has been carried into effect, and the proceeds 

 wisely used ; partly in the purchase of books, as well as a book-case ; 

 and partly in reproducing those numbers of our ' Transactions ' which 

 form the Second Series : we are now in a position to supply Members 

 or the public with the Second Series complete ; I trust at our next 

 Anniversary the same will be the case with the First Series. 



Having parted with our collections, it behoves us to carry out to 

 the utmost the object proposed by the sale of our insects ', our aim 



