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Oct. 19th ... “ The Ideal Local Natural History Society,” 
D. C. Bate. 
Nov. 2nd ... “ The Microscope ” ... C. Nicholson, F.E.S. 
Nov. 10th ... “ Papilio polytes and its Varieties” 
S. Edwards, F.Z.S., F.E.S. 
The Secretaries take this occasion to complain, however, of the 
extreme difficulty they have in procuring papers for the Society, 
which is quite unwarrantable. Among the older members, we fear, 
exhortations and entreaties are alike useless. If a man has reached the 
age of 40 without reading a paper, it is pretty certain he will never read 
one at all. But we cannot too strongly impress upon our younger mem¬ 
bers the necesssity of beginning, and that at once. If we may say so, 
we perfectly understand their feelings in holding back. We have been 
through them ourselves. To a certain extent they are commendable, 
but they are chiefly selfish. Our young men are afraid of not doing 
well enough, afraid that they cannot write anything to which it would 
be worth the Society’s while to listen. But, surely, they cannot 
know until they have tried, and surely the Society should be the best 
judge. We strongly exhort our young members to do their very 
utmost to overcome this diffidence, to present the Society with their 
best, and then to rest on the assurance that it is far more meritorious, 
unselfish, and patriotic, to deliver an indifferent paper under such 
circumstances for the Society’s sake, than to withhold one for fear 
it might not be good enough. We cannot all be Tutts, Prouts, 
or Bacots, but we doubt if there be a single one amongst us 
who cannot occasionally contribute some item, slight it may be, but 
still valuable, to the Society’s printed programmes ; and we venture 
to lay down this general rule: that the Secretaries, on applying for 
a paper for the Society, ought never to meet with a refusal, except 
when circumstances render the giving of such paper an absolute 
impossibility. We have laid great stress upon this here, because 
we feel it is one of the most vital questions affecting the welfare of 
the Society. And we hope all the members, but especially the young 
members, will take it to heart. To turn to a more cheerful subject, 
the Society held a very enjoyable excursion to Oxshott, on the 26th 
of June, which was attended by 9 members and 9 visitors. This 
outing was a decided improvement on the one held the previous 
year, and a development of the Society’s usual work, which, we 
trust, will be still further extended, and lead to happy results. 
Another item deserves special mention. The Society this year 
repeated the experiment of 1895, and held an exhibition in the 
Library of the London Institution, on the 27th of April. Whether 
this was altogether advisable, having regard to the Society’s financial 
condition, is a matter involving strong difference of opinion, and one 
on which the two Secretaries themselves are not agreed. But the 
exhibition was an undoubted success, and will be an event long 
remembered by all those who participated in it. 
In conclusion, we have only to tender our hearty thanks for the 
support we have received throughout the year. In one instance, 
indeed, there is room for improvement. We refer to the indifference 
shown in certain quarters to Rule XIV., which provides for our being 
supplied with lists of exhibits. It is obviously desirable, in the best 
interests of everybody, for the Secretaries and the members to co- 
