THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



of Londoners, and the members were most active in getting up a petition, 

 and getting it presented in the House of Commons. 



In 1864, money prizes were offered for the best collections made during 

 the year, and the offer was repeated in 1865. About this time, however, the 

 society began somewhat to decline, and at the end of the year we have a 

 somewhat desponding report, and find that the number of members had de- 

 creased to 32, a decrease continued in the following year, in consequence of 

 which the usual annual dinner was not held. However, by 1867 we find the 

 society had acquired a library of 200 volumes, and the cabinet contained 

 2,000 specimens. 



In 1868, Mr. Eedle went to Scotland collecting, partly for the Society, and 

 made many valuable additions, and at the close of that year the first annual 

 exhibition was held, proving a great success. Fortune then seemed to 

 smite, and for over ten years the society was very active, the number of mem- 

 bers reaching its highest point during 1874, in which year there were con- 

 siderably over 100 names on the books. The question of Epping Forest was 

 kept constantly in view, and during this period several more petitions on the 

 subject were sent to the House of Commons ; and also our address to the 

 late Mr. Fawcett, thanking him for his opposition to the enclosures, and the 

 final success in this matter was hailed with great satisfaction. 



In 1879, a manuscript magazine was started, but the labour it entailed was 

 so great that it had very soon to be abandoned. The society was instrumen- 

 tal in getting the Doubleday collection deposited and kept at Bethnal Green, 

 where may also be seen several cases of life histories, the gift of the society 

 to the museum. 



The scheme of the Great Eastern Eailway Co., in 1880, to make a cutting 

 through one of the prettiest parts of the Forest, once more put the members 

 on their mettle, they presented a petition signed by nearly 2,000 persons, 

 against this new attempt to destroy what has ever been a favourite collecting 

 ground, and the President had the pleasure of announcing shortly afterwards, 

 that the Company, discouraged by the opposition had withdrawn their bill. 



The recent history of the society has been somewhat chequered, but its 

 transformation into the " City of London Entomological Society," has been 

 so successful up to the present, that there is every prospect of the new society 

 rivalling the most halycon days of the old. The present members have much to 

 thank their predecessors for, inasmuch as they reap the benefit of the very 

 fine library, &c. Nearly all the gentlemen in London who pursue this study 

 have been at some time members, and young naturalists who wish for help 

 from their brother workers cannot do better than to join the re-organised 

 society, where they may be assured of receiving a hearty welcome. 



