32 
the contrary, if he had been a little lesss generous, and if his 
patience had given way sooner, we are strongly of opinion that it 
would have been a very good thing for the Society’s morals. 
Mr. Clark, however, on the eve of his retirement, so to speak 
(that is, when he had seen the present balance-sheet completed), 
performed a crowning act of benevolence which heaps coals of fire on 
the head of this devoted Society, and should inspire every member of 
it (every defaulting member, at any rate) with mingled feelings of 
shame and admiration. Listen, gentlemen ! As if regretting his 
former apparent severity in permitting himself to admit that the 
Society owed him anything at all, Mr. Clark, at one fell swoop, 
actually, hut not. morally, annihilated that part of the debt due to him 
by paying £5 of it for a life membership, and presenting the balance 
of £1 11s. 2d. as a donation ! ! What can be said of generosity like 
this ? The least we can do is to accord him our most humble and 
heartfelt thanks, and show our appreciation of such an act by going 
and doing likewise. 
The remainder of the debt, £9 14s. 6d., is due to Mr. Nicholson 
for secretarial expenses. 
The number of members on our books (76) is identical with that 
of last year ; but we fear that the Council will be compelled to erase 
several names from the list, which will in that case again show a 
slight decrease over the previous one. We once more earnestly desire 
to impress upon you the necessity of doing your best to prove to your 
friends and acquaintances how necessary it is for their future welfare 
that they should join this Society. 
The attendance at the meetings during 1896, compared with 1895, 
has remained in statu quo. The total attendance of members and 
visitors was 446, giving an average for the 24 meetings of just over 
19. The highest number present at any one meeting was 29, on 
20th October ; the lowest on 4th August—7. 
There have been 11 papers read before the Society this year, as against 
10 in 1895 ; and, in addition, we have had the discussion on Bomby.v 
quercus and B. callunae, which occupied two meetings. Although, in 
the majority of cases, the subjects of the papers have been of an 
entomological nature, we have endeavoured to create a little variety by 
introducing one on Astronomy and one on Botany. This innovation 
seems to have been well received, so it will be continued during next 
year. 
The following is a list of the papers :— 
“Genera” ... J. W. Tutt, F.E.S. 
“ Calamia lictosa” Rev. C. R. N. Burrows. 
“ The Lepidoptera of Dulwich ” ... ... D. C. Bate. 
“ The Planet Mars ” ... C. Nicholson, F.E.S.' 
“ Entomology, Evolution and Romance ; 
a plea for a new departure ... ... F. W. Frost. 
“Ferns” ... ... R. W. Robbins! 
“ Mcdamppe fluctuuta ” ... ... L. B. Prout, F.E.S. 
“ The Genus Hybemia ” ... ... ... A. F. Bayne. 
“ Notes on the early stages of Psilura monncha 
and its allies ” . ... .. D. C. Bate 
“ The Antennae of Lepidoptera; their Structure, 
Functions and Evolution ” ... ... J. W. Tutt, F.E.S. 
