• 66 . 
Brief , History F.N.S. 
S.A. NAT., VOL. XV. 
June 12th, 1934. 
meeting of the Council of the Royal Society was held. At an ord¬ 
inary meeting held on the 4th September, 1883 ? the Vice-President 
of the Royal Society, the late Dr. H. T. Whittell, read a draft of 
the Rules for the regulation of the proposed “Natural History” 
Section. Notice of motion was given that these rules would be 
brought forward at the next meeting for consideration and adop¬ 
tion. Accordingly, at the annual meeting held on 2nd October, 
1883, Professor Ralph Tate, F.Cr.S., F.L.S., explained that “a 
number of young men connected with certain Societies in the 
city had intimated a desire to prosecute the study of Natural 
History under the countenance of the Royal Society, and as the 
Council approved of the idea, they had drawn up regulations. 
These regulations, seven in number, are then set out, the first 
•one reading thus: “This Section is established to promote the 
practical study of Natural History by affording fuller opportun¬ 
ities and facilities for meeting and working together.” 
Regulation 5 is of considerable importance for it states that 
subscribers to the Section shall have access to the Library of the 
Society (that is, the Royal Society) and shall be entitled to a 
copy oi the “Miscellaneous Contributions to Natural History, and 
the Annual Reports published by the Society for the current year.' 5 
How many of you know what privileges you have, and all for 
7/6 a year (originally 5/-), the extra 2/6 being added when we 
established our own Journal, “The South Australian Naturalist/' 
The President of the Royal Society, then Mr. Charles Todd, 
C.M.G., afterwards Sir Charles Todd, K.C.M.G., (P.M, General) 
spoke in favour of the proposal. The proposed regulations were 
confirmed at that meeting (2nd October, 1883). At the same 
meeting, Mr. W. E. Pickels, F.R.M.S., who had been elected a 
Fellow of the Royal Society the previous month (4/9/1883), 
suggested that in inaugurating this Section, a Conversazione 
should be held at the Town Hall and that Professor Tate might 
elucidate to probable members the objects of the Section. 
In the “Annual Report” submitted to the Council at the 
same meeting (2nd October, 1883), reference is made to the 
proposed formation of the Section in these words: 
“Another new departure contemplated is the formation of a 
Section for the more especial study of Natural History in the 
field. To make the proposed Section as popularly and publicly 
useful as possible, it is intended to allow persons not wishing to 
become members of the Royal Society, to join the Section only, 
and by a moderate subscription obtain certain collateral advan¬ 
tages.” 
