254 HONOURS PAID TO THE 



bers united together, hired a place to hold their meetings, made sta- 

 tutes, elefted a president, who is chosen every three months from among 

 the members ; a secretary, whose trust is renewed quarterly ; changed, 

 from motives of policy, the original name of Societc Linncenne, for that 

 of Societc aHistoire Naturdle, and appointed ordinary, honorary, and 

 corresponding members, who are received by ballot. This society has 

 already published several volumes of its transaftions. It was also 

 this society which petitioned the National Convention to send out some 

 ships in quest of the celebrated French navigator, Count de Peyrouse, 

 who had not been heard of for many years. Shortly after, in conse- 

 quence of a decree, an expedition sailed from Brest for this purpose, 

 which had on board three members of the society as naturalists. 



In the year 1788, a society of botanists and naturalists collefted at 

 London, under the presidency of Dr. James Edw. Smith, and in 

 honour of our great luminary, assumed the name of the LiNNiEAN 

 Society. The first volume of the transaftions of this patriotic literary 

 body appeared at London in 1792. It is published in quarto by Messrs. 

 White, and contains twenty-seven treatises in English, Latin and 

 French, making altogether two hundred and fifty-seven pages. The 

 presidency of this society goes by turns, and Sir Joseph Banks suc- 

 ceeded Dr. Smith in that honourable fun6lion. Several volumes of 

 the transaftions have regularly appeared since, and been translated into 

 different languages * 



* " The LiNNiEAN Society," says Dr. Smith, in a letter to the author, '« I instituted 

 " in 1788, having engaged a number of members for it in my travels. We have just pub- 

 " lished a volume of transaftions in quarto with twenty plates j and at the publishers 

 " (White and Son) you will see a list of the members." 



A third 



