20 



by Mr. L. S. Foster, then Secretary of the Society, and by Mr. George B. 

 Sennett, Dr. George Bird Grinnell and Dr. O. W. Willis. 



Naturally I began at once to take an active interest in the work of the 

 Linnaean Society, and found its bi-monthly meetings at the rooms of the 

 New York Geographical Society, at 11 West 29th Street, oases of pleasure 

 in the routine of my duties at the Museum. Four years later, in 1889, 

 I was promoted to the Presidency of the Society, which office I held for 

 nine years, but I fear I filled it very inadequately. The Museum then soon 

 became the headquarters of the Society, and for a considerable number of 

 years its meetings were held in the Museum Library. 



During the long period of my connection with this Society its membership 

 has, naturally, greatly changed. The younger men who now support its 

 activities belong to a later generation. Of those who founded it and were 

 its early supporters, a few have passed over the great river, while most of 

 the others have attained eminence in their special fields of endeavor and 

 occupy high positions in the scientific service of their country. I need 

 mention the names of only a few to assure you of the truthfulness of this 

 statement: Bicknell, now a distinguished botanist and an officer of the 

 New York Botanical Garden; Dutcher, who aroused public interest in our 

 wild bird life and founded the National Association of Audubon Societies 

 and became its President; Fisher, of the United States Biological Survey; 

 Mearns, long a distinguished officer of the medical department of the 

 United States Army, and an enthusiastic and able explorer of not only our 

 own formerly "Wild West," but of the Dark Continent and the Philippines, 

 and now an Honorary Assistant in our National Museum; Merriam, the 

 organizer and for many years the Chief of our great Biological Survey; and 

 others who also are entitled to honorable mention. Of members now active 

 in the Society I shall mention only two, Walter Granger, who for many 

 years served as its faithful Secretary, and Dr. Dwight, who has long borne 

 its burdens as President. These men we have long had with us, and you 

 well know their excellencies and attainments. 



Mr. President and Members of the Linnsean Society : Again I thank you 

 heartily for this beautiful testimonial of your respect and appreciation. 



At the close of Dr. Allen's address, the Society adjourned 

 to the usual meeting place in the American Museum of 

 Natural History for the Annual Meeting. 



Annual Meeting. — The President in the chair. Twenty- 

 two members (Dr. Allen, Dr. Dwight and Messrs. Abbott, Ball, 

 Bishop, Chapin, Cleaves, Davis, Harper, Hix, F. W. Hyde, 

 F. E. Johnson, J. M. Johnson, Lang, Lemmon, Marks, 

 Murphy, Overton, Riker, Rogers, Weber and Woodruff) and 

 eighteen visitors present. 



The Treasurer read his annual report, showing a balance of 



