136 
president's address. 
Professor Pitt-Cobbett. The results either in the way of increased 
attendance or accessions to Membership were not of a striking 
character; and as an accompaniment of music practice in a 
contiguous building, and the absence of our books of reference 
were not found to enhance the interest of the Meetings, the 
Council has decided to return to our home at Elizabeth Bay. 
The inauguration of a new line of 'buses from the Railway 
Station to the top of William-street, via Oxford-street, providing 
for the convenience of residents in the western suburbs, and of 
the cable-tram to Ocean-street will be found to offer new and 
hitherto unattainable facilities of access to the Society's Hall. 
Three vacancies on the Council occurred during the year through 
the successive retirement, on account of pressure of official duties, 
of Dr. Cobb, Mr. E. G. W. Palmer, and Mr. R. Etheridge, junr. 
In accordance with the provisions of the Act of Incorporation, 
the Council filled two of these vacancies for the unexpired portions 
for the then current year by electing Mr. A. H. S. Lucas, M.A., 
B.Sc, and Dr. Fick— Avho was, however, on the eve of leaving 
for Europe, and therefore unable to act — and whose place was 
thereupon filled by the appointment of Dr. C. J. Martin : the 
third vacanc}^ occurring later in the year was left unfilled until 
the Annual Meeting. Mr. Henn, one of the Auditors, being 
absent on a visit to India, Mr. E. G. W. Palmer has been elected 
in his place. 
As there arise from time to time questions of priority in the 
matter of species described in the first seven Volumes of our 
Proceedings which were issued undated, it is desirable that the 
effort should be made to ascertain the exact dates with a view to 
their publication in the Proceedings. Unfortunately the Society's 
official records for the period covered by Yols. i.-vi., and Parts 1 
and 2 of Yol. vii., were entirely destroyed in the Garden Palace 
Fire. The Secretary, however, hopes by the co-operation of the 
Librarians of the various Sydney Libraries to be able to ascertain 
at least the dates on which the publications were received at 
those Institutions — which would be approximately those of publi- 
cation. Old Members who are in a position to afford information 
are also cordially invited to do so. 
