4230 Entomological Society. 



Moscow, and continued to occupy it to his death. He founded the 

 Imperial Society of Naturalists of Moscow, contributed largely to the 

 Russian 'Annals of Natural History,' and occupied himself most in- 

 defatigably with all branches of his beloved science. His writings 

 are numerous, and amongst them is a curious and valuable typogra- 

 phical history of the Bible. He was a member of more than eighty 

 learned Societies, and was knight of the principal Russian orders : 

 the honours he received in his own country afford a notable instance 

 that Russia is not indifferent to scientific merit. 



By our Treasurer's Report you have heard that our finances are in 

 a very satisfactory state : it appears that, whereas, at the last audit, a 

 deficiency of £28 was reported, it is now announced that our liabili- 

 ties are no larger than our balance in hand, so that an improvement 

 of nearly £30 has taken place in our fiscal condition. It must, how- 

 ever, be borne in mind, that £22 of our income in 1853 arises from a 

 subscription raised for the express purpose of defraying previous 

 expenses; and, much as we are indebted to those members who so 

 generously assisted on that occasion, it is neither prudent nor just to 

 look forward to such a source of revenue, but rather so to restrict our 

 outlay that it shall always fall within our legitimate income. During 

 the year we have issued three parts of the ' Transactions,' and since 

 the close of the financial year a fourth, which was laid on your table 

 at the last meeting : these are got up in the usual style of correctness, 

 and are illustrated in a manner that must gratify our members and 

 subscribers : with the value and importance of their contents you are 

 already perfectly familiar. 



By the Report of the Library and Cabinet Committee you have 

 learned that both these departments are progressing favourably ; and 

 if there is a single cause for regret connected with either, it is that 

 our really fine entomological library is not made more extensively 

 useful by our members. Of our exotic insects I may, perhaps, be 

 allowed to remark, that I consider it more desirable to obtain an 

 arranged series of types than to attempt the formation of a complete 

 collection of species : the cost of the former is trifling compared with 

 its utility; the cost of the latter would be overwhelming to such a 

 Society as ours, but devolves with propriety on a national institution. 

 In this observation, I must not be understood as referring to the 

 money-value of the specimens themselves, of which I know nothing, 

 but simply to the items of cabinets, rooms, and labour in arrange- 

 ment and preservation. 



