17 
use of the optical lantern, a method which will probably not commend 
itself to the more learned members. 
Conversazione signally failed to improve either the attendance or 
membership, and only depleted our private purses and added new terrors 
to the secretarial existence. ExchangeNightand the Pocket Box Exhibi¬ 
tion attract some twenty-five members, but we cannot make such matters 
a feature of every meeting. The figures we have submitted certainly 
suggest, that the dignity of office begets increased interest in the 
Society’s affairs, but it would hardly be possible to enlarge our council 
so that each member may have a post therein, and thus be encouraged 
to appear more frequently. 
Our two field meetings—to Leith Hill and Chalfont Road—are a 
fitter subject for congratulation, as they showed a marked improve¬ 
ment both as regards the number of members and the number of 
lepidoptera present thereat; morover, the weather refrained from that 
tearful mood which it has usually assumed on these occasions. It is 
worth considering whether it be not advisable to increase the number 
of these expeditions now that they appear to have secured the approval 
and support of members ; the social atmosphere that pervades them 
certainly draws members together and may perhaps lead to a better 
attendance at our rather more formal evening gatherings. 
As regards exhibits, while we think they have been as interesting 
as usual, we still have to lament the frequent lack of the necessary 
details which give them scientific value ; now that the Society’s 
meetings are being reported in two of the Entomological Magazines— 
a new step which we trust may be regarded as progressive—it is more 
than ever important that exhibitors should supply the Secretaries with 
a brief written note of the noteworthy points of their exhibits, since it 
is obviously impossible for a secretary to record the features of an 
exhibit before him, and at the same time take notes of dates, localities, 
&c., with reference to other exhibits that are in the meantime being- 
announced. This has been urged on members more than once before 
with little effect; will members now note once and for all, that so long 
as you honour the present reporting secretary with your patronage, he", 
with the consent of the council, will regretfully consider that exhibitors 
who do not furnish him with written particulars, do not consider their 
exhibit worth a detailed report. 
Last year the Secretaries asked members to make an effort to 
improve the Society’s collection of lepidoptera, and with that end in 
view a list of desiderata was published in the Transactions; the only 
members, however, who have responded to this request are Messrs. 
Clark, Harris, Pickett and Shaw. In the same report, the unsatisfactory 
position of the cabinet was referred to, and an attempt has since been 
made to induce the Institution Authorities to allow us to place it in a 
more suitable spot; unfortunately this effort altogether failed, so that 
the cabinet and book-case must apparently remain in the present 
unsuitable and isolated position. 
Dr. Chapman has enriched our library with a collection of his 
papers on entomology during the past 35 years, and Mr. Mera has 
presented to the Society the 1904 volume of The Record. 
The Society’s position, with regard to the annual volume of 
Transactions, is decidedly satisfactory. The expense of publishing 
the 1904 volume, which was about 20% larger than that for 1903, has 
