BBLFAS r 



NATURAL HISTORY & PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY 



SESSION 1894-95. 



ijtk November, i8g4. 



INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT. 

 Robert Lloyd Patterson, Esq., J.P., F.L.S. 



The President, who was cordially received, said that, on 

 assuming the presidential chair at that the opening meeting of 

 the seventy-fourth session of their Society he was pleased at 

 being able to congratulate his fellow- members on its continued 

 vitality and activity, notwithstanding its advancing years. His 

 warm thanks were due to the Council for having for the third 

 time, after an interval of thirteen years since his first election as 

 president, again placed him in that position. It was one the 

 honour of which he fully appreciated, and the responsibilities 

 of which he trusted he was sensible of, and the duties of which 

 it should be his earnest endeavour adequately to discharge. 

 Continuing, the President said that, to the thoughtfulness of a 

 lady — a life-long friend and well-wisher of the Society, the late 

 Miss Thompson — they were indebted for the bequest of an 

 admirable portrait of her brother, Mr. William Thompson, one 

 of the most distinguished of their former presidents. A member 

 had presented a very good likeness of another former president, 

 Mr. Robert Patterson, while to a valued and useful member, 

 Mr. Swanston, they were much indebted for the recent gift of a 

 bust of one of the most eminent naturalists the century had 

 produced — Professor Edward Forbes — a man of truly remark- 



