10 PRESIDENTS ADDRESS, 
possible in scientific periodical literature, ¢.¢., in the Transactions, 
Journals, and similar publications of kindred Societies and Insti- 
tutions. A poor Society such as this cannot, of course, hope 
to have a complete library in all classes of scientific books— 
we must content ourselves with some one department—and 
that chosen is the one less likely to be undertaken by other 
Libraries in the Colony. Most modern scientific books can be 
purchased at any time, and are purchased by the Free Public and 
other Libraries in Sydney, but the earlier volumes of the Transac- 
tions of Scientific Societies are not so likely to be purchased by 
them ; they, too, are becoming more expensive and more difficult 
to obtain every day. Such publications are absolutely essential to 
all who are actively engaged in research of any kind. Unless the 
investigator can refer to what has already been done by others, 
much labour may be unnecessarily repeated and valuable time lost 
thereby. 
We have now secured the principal series ; in the future the 
expenditure upon such publications need not be so large, although 
many important sets have yet to be completed. 
Many of our series have been completed by the generosity of the 
Societies which published them, and some of the presentations thus 
made at our solicitation are extremely valuable and important. 
During the past year the Society has received 1,420 vols. and 
pamphlets as donations, amongst which the following call for 
special recognition -— 
. Faune du Caleaire Carbonifére de la Belgique. Vols. I-III 
10 parts, 4to. Presented by the author, Professor De 
Koninck. 
Reports of the Second Geological Survey of Pennsylvania. 
76 vols, Presented by the Board of Commissioners. 
Monographs and Reports published by the United States 
Geological Survey. 9 vols. 4to. Presented by the 
Director. 
Transactions of the Connecticut Academy of Artsand Sciences, 
from the commencement in 1866 to 1885 complete. 
Presented by the Society, 
