PRESIDENTS ADDRESS. 7 



ation with some member of the Macleay family, beginning with 

 Mr. W. Sharp Macleay, or with the Society, of about half a cen- 

 tury. The dwelling house has been renovated and improved, 

 and one of Alfred Stapleton's sons — W. Stapleton — has been 

 appointed to succeed his father, and gives promise of worthily 

 doing so. 



It is only on rare occasions that circumstances permit inter- 

 ruption of the regular, appointed procedure of the Society's work 

 in such a manner as to provide an interlude of a less formal 

 character, of which we can take full advantage. On October 

 31st, 1885, on the occasion of the dedication of the Hall in which 

 we are now assembled, Sir William Macleay entertained the 

 Members and other guests in characteristic fashion. On June 

 22nd, 1889, the Members of the Society had the pleasure of 

 returning the compliment, on the occasion of the unveiling of 

 the bust of Sir William Macleay, erected in the conspicuous 

 place of honour which it has ever since occupied, by express wish 

 of the donors. Nearly eighteen years elapsed without offering 

 the Society another opportunity of meeting in its corporate 

 character for some other purpose than merely routine business. 

 On the 23rd May, 1907, the Bicentenary of Carl von Linne, the 

 Society did its best, amid some drawbacks, to join in the world- 

 wide recognition of the significance of the occasion, and to do 

 homage to the memory of the remarkable man whose name the 

 Society bears. I refer to then existing drawbacks, in order 

 that I may mention that they have since vanished. I may 

 remind you that Carl von Linne's only possible opportunity of 

 seeing any example of Eastern Australian indigenous plants or 

 animals would arise in connection with the visit of Sir Joseph 

 Banks and Dr. Solander to New Holland on Captain Cook's 

 First Voyage. In a letter to his friend, Mr. John Ellis, in 

 London, Carl von Linne bitterly lamented that Solander's neglect 

 to keep his promise to visit him on his return was bereaving him 

 of his only chance of learning something of the productions of 

 New Holland at first hand. He died without his desire being 

 gratified. This explains how it is that Australian animals bearing 



