REPORT. 
13 
approaching departure from the Colony, and to thank you for 
the interest you have taken in the Society, and for your 
kindness in having acted as its Patron during your tenure of 
office as Governor of Victoria. 
" I have the honor to be, my Lord, 
" Your most obedient Servant, 
(Signed) " Thomas Black, President." 
The President remarked that he was now about to 
retire from the position of President of the Society, 
with which he had been connected in different capa- 
cities for sixteen years. He could claim, in fact, to be 
the founder of the original Society, as on its formation, 
in 1857, he had been the first to suggest an extension 
of its objects, so as to include Zoology and Acclimati- 
sation. He was proud to say that a great amount of 
good had been accomplished, for they had now herds 
of deer in different parts of the colony ; hares were 
firmly established ; pheasants were multiplying, and 
trout of 7 lbs. weight had been caught in our streams, 
and best of all, the angora goats were rapidly increasing. 
He believed, in fact, the Society was doing a noble 
work, and that future generations would be thankful 
to them for their labours. The claims of advancing 
years made him not unwilling to retire from the position 
he had held so long, and he might be allowed to say 
without egotism, with some credit to himself and 
advantage to the country. He should still continue 
a3 a Member of the Council to take a deep interest in 
the progress of the Society. He would now call on 
the meeting, under Eule 13, to elect the Office-Bearers 
for the ensuing year. 
The thanks of the meeting were then again tenderer 
to the retiring President, and on the motion of 
