ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS, 
By H. C. Russext, B.A., F.R.A.S., &., Vice-President. 
[Delivered before the Royal Society of N.S.W., 2 May, 1877.] 
GENTLEMEN, 
At the commencement of last session it was your pleasure 
to elect me one of your Vice-presidents, and in so doing to lay 
upon me the duty of giving the opening address this session. I 
wish your choice had fallen on some one with more leisure than 
myself, or that we might, as in years past, have had the pleasure 
of listening to our honored and senior Vice-president, whose 
unceasing labours on behalf of our Society have earned nad him 
such a high place in our esteem. 
Fifty-six years have passed since a few (ten) earnest workers 
met together in Sydney, and formed the first Scientific Society 
in Australia. We are proud that we can trace the origin of our 
Society to that early effort made to plant science on a new soil ; 
and although there have been periods of depression—* droughts” 
in our scientific world during which no progress was made-—yet 
the Report you have just heard contains ample proof that the 
young Society was: planted on congenial soil. 
You have heard, then, what we have done during the past 
_ year, and I need not dwell upon it, except on one or two points, 
for which I ask your forbearance. 
First, however, allow me to oe you upon our flourish- 
ing condition. 
With 132 members added to our number atic the year, with 
seven working sections formed, with 1,000 books added to our 
library, besides furniture and instruments purchased for our use, 
A 
