ADDRESS. 
15 
" The Council trust that you may be spared for many years to 
assist them in their labours, and to witness the extension of this 
Society, the welfare of which you have zealously helped to 
promote. 
" On behalf of the Council, 
(Signed) " Feedeeic R. Godfeey, President." 
To which Dr. Black read the following reply :— 
"To the President and Members of the Zoological and 
Acclimatisation Society of Victoria." 
" Gentlemen, — I thank you for the address you have unani- 
mously voted to me on my retirement from the office of 
President, made imperative on my part, in accordance with a 
rule lately passed by the Society, viz. : — ' That the President and 
Vice-Presidents should retire annually, and be ineligible for 
re-election. 
" I can assure you, with all sincerity, that I value this kind 
expression of your sentiments towards me on the present 
occasion, infinitely more than medals of silver or gold. 
"Acclimatisation and a good Zoological collection must 
necessarily be of slow growth, yet we have every reason to be 
satisfied with the progress made. I shall mention a few of the 
animals already introduced, and which have proved a great 
success. The hare, deer of many kinds, pheasant, Angora goat, 
and ostrich ; British song and other birds have been liberated in 
several parts of the colony, and a variety of choice fish are to be 
found in many of our lakes and streams. 
" This is not the only benefit arising from the labours of this 
Society, our correspondence with kindred societies throughout 
the world, and the interchange of reports serve to make us 
better known and appreciated. In a letter addressed to me some 
considerable time ago, from Mr. Edward Wilson, he thus 
writes: — 'I can assure you our fame is rapidly extending 
through all lands, and we are not only covering ourselves with 
honour, but presenting our adopted country in a very favourable 
light in innumerable regions, in which, but for us, her name 
never would be heard of.' Such is the language of a staunch 
friend of this Society and the colony generally. 
" With respect to the necessity of a Zoological collection at the 
Royal-park, I think there can be but one opinion. An excellent 
