ANNUAL REPORT 
127 
Ballot papers will be issued in future to enable those who 
attend the meeting to nominate any member of the Society as 
President, \'ice-President or Councillor, in the last case provided 
he or she is not a member of a branch. One-third of the elected 
Councillors will retire each year, but will be eligible for re-election 
provided they have attended one-third of the meetings of the 
Council. The Branches will elect delegates as heretofore, or in 
default of this the Council may co-opt as delegate some person 
to represent the Branch upon the Council. In thus rendering 
the procedure of election of the Council more precise and formal 
and giving members of the Society an opportunity of knowing 
those whom they are requested to support, it is hoped that the 
Society at large will take a more active part in ordering its affairs 
than has been the case heretofore. To induce every one who 
enters the Society, whether joining a branch or the Central body, 
to associate himself with the other members, all new members 
will in future be elected by the Council upon nomination. 
These changes necessitated a revision of the Rules and 
afforded an opportunity of correcting various omissions, and of 
rendering the wording in some Rules more clear and definite. 
The Rules were carefully considered by your Council and the 
suggested amendments submitted to a special meeting of the 
Society held on April 26th, and were then passed. 
The Council decided to ask members to pay a small sum for 
admission to the Conversazione to help defray the expenses of 
the refreshments. This charge was made by way of an experi- 
ment, and whether it will be repeated must depend upon the 
decision of the Council which will be elected. With regard 
to the Conversazione, members of the Selborne Society are 
reminded that such social gatherings fall outside the scheme of 
the Society, and must be supported by those who appreciate the 
pleasurable opportunities which they afford for members to meet 
and study objects of interest to all Selbornians. 
The Annual Conversazione . — For the fourth time the Annual 
Conversazione was held in the Theatre and Halls at Burlington 
Gardens (Old London University) by the kind permission of the 
First Commissioner of His Majesty’s Works, and the Civil 
Service Commission. In spite of the wet weather, the meeting 
was attended by nearly 600 guests. The number of exhibits 
was considerable, and included the original manuscript of “ The 
Natural History of Selborne ” and the original letters of John 
Mulso to Gilbert White. 
The President, Lord Avebury, delivered the annual address, 
and among the Vice-Presidents who attended and spoke were 
the Earl of Stamford, Hon. Walter Rothschild, and Dr. Dudley 
Buxton. 
John Mulso’s Letters . — During the year, the Earl of Stamford, 
in whose possession are the letters of John Mulso to his life- 
long friend, Gilbert White, has allowed them to be published, 
and Mr. Rashleigh Holt W'^hite has prepared them for the press 
and written an introduction. 
