pkesident's addeess. 5 



a drop of nearly one hundred, and it is the smallest number of 

 members since 1885 when the roll stood at 494; from that date our 

 members have, with an occasional slight recovery, slowly but 

 steadily decreased. Complete lists of the members of the Society 

 from its first formation are apparently not obtainable, but the 

 following list, showing some of the fluctuations, is of interest. 

 Perhaps some of our older members may have notes or papers 

 from which the gaps between 1821 and 1867 can be filled in. 



Philosophical Society of Australia, ... 1821, 10 members. 



Australian Philosophical Society, ... 1855, 22 ,, 



Philosophical Society of New South Wales, 1856, 153 ,, 



1858, 174 „ 



Royal Society of New South Wales- 



Year. 



Members. 



1867 



108 



1868 



118 



1869 



118 



1870 



127 



1871 



129 



1872 



134 



1873 



118 



1874 



155 



1875 



264 



1876 



297 



1877 



346 



1878 



408 



1879 



404 



1880 



457 



1881 



452 



1882 



475 



1883 



486 



Year. 



Members. 



1884 



494 



1885 



494 



1886 



493 



1887 



488 



1888 



482 



1889 



471 



1890 



461 



1891 



457 



1892 



478 



1893 



477 



1894 



445 



1895 



420 



1896 



409 



1897 



420 



1898 



397 



1899 



357 



1900 



374 



The decrease in the number of members is a matter of some 

 concern and it deserves our serious consideration. It may per- 

 haps, be accounted for in part by the Colony not yet having 



