I 
254 HONOURS PAID TO THE 
bers united together, hired a place to hold their meetings, made sta- 
tutes, eleCted 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 Societt Linneenne, for that 
of Societe d’Histoire Naturelle, and appointed ordinary, honorary, and 
corresponding members, who arc received by ballot. This society has 
already published several volumes of its transactions. It was also 
this society which petitioned the National Convention to send out some 
ships in quest of the celebrated French navigator, Count dePeyrouse, 
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 coHe&ed at 
London, under the presidency of Dr. James Edw. Smith, and in 
honour of our great luminary, assumed the name of the Linn & an 
Society. The first volume of the transactions 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 function. Several volumes of 
the transactions have regularly appeared since, and been translated into 
different languages *. 
* “ The Linnet an 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 ; and at, the publishers 
“ (White and Son) you will see a list of the members.” 
A third 
