PART OP A LIFE HISTORY 
13 
<( 
y) 
towards the end of 1900 there were only 139. Since then 
there has been a slow but steady improvement. 
During the forty-one years there have been about 900 
members, but of these only about one-sixth have con- 
tributed anything to the Society’s business in the 
way of papers or exhibits. There have been 428 
papers read at general meetings, and one half of these 
have appeared in the Proceedings, either in full or in 
abstract. Of papers read at sectional meetings, 179 have 
also been printed, more or less fully. The subjects of the 
papers have been very varied, as might have been ex- 
pected from the broad basis wisely laid by the founders 
of the Society. Among them are such as can be classed 
under the following branches of knowledge : Anatomy 
(Human), Archaeology, Astronomy, Botany, Chemistry, 
Cosmography, Electricity, Engineering, Entomology, 
Epidemiology, Ethnology, Folklore and Superstition, 
Geology, Histology, Magnetism, Mental Science, Meteor- 
ology, Microscopy, Ornithology, Philology, Photography, 
Physics, Physiology, Sanitary and Social Science, Tech- 
nology, and Zoology. With the exception of three of 
these — Human Anatomy, Histology, and Photography 
— all are represented in the printed Proceedings of our 
Society. During recent years a wish has been expressed 
by some members that we should restrict our work mainly, 
if not entirely, to “ Natural History ” pure and simple ; 
but it will be an evil day for the Society if its members 
permit this. Our membership is, even now, far smaller 
than it should be in so populous a centre, and any nar- 
rowing of the base upon which we stand can but produce 
a condition of unstable equilibrium, which will end in 
disaster. 
