15 
however, does not say what happens if the exhibitors fail to send in 
such lists. On the occasion of the meeting on the 5th November last, 
at which I was not present, my colleague acted somewhat mercilessly, 
I venture to think, in leaving out of the minutes the record of those 
exhibits of which notes were not sent in. While I largely agree with 
his action, viewed from a strictly secretarial standpoint, I shall not 
support it under certain circumstances, which I will proceed to set 
forth. My reason for so doing is, that I think the welfare of the 
Society should be considered before the convenience of its Secretaries. 
Suppose, now, that a member made an exhibit of very special value 
and interest, but omitted to give a note of the same to the Secretary. 
Is the record of that exhibit to be left out of the minutes simply 
because the Secretary did not receive the usual note of it ? I say 
most decidedly, No ! I remember an instance of this kind in another 
society to which I belong, and I consider it altogether too high¬ 
handed an action, as it seems to imply that the interests of the Society 
are quite a secondary matter compared with the personal convenience 
of its Secretary. Please understand, then, that should any exhibit 
of special value be made, a record of it will appear in the minutes, 
but the detail of that record will depend on whether a note of the 
exhibit is handed to me or not. I hope that this course of action will 
not tend to make members careless in this matter, for I shall adhere 
scrupulously to the spirit of the rule in cases where the exhibits are 
only of ordinary interest. It is solely my desire for the welfare of 
the Society that has called forth these remarks from me, and I 
trust that I have not seemed to imply any disrespect to my worthy 
colleague. 
PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 
Mr. J. W. Tutt, the newly elected President, then read the following 
address :— 
“ On the Modern Principles on which the Classification of the 
Lepidoptera is based. 
Gentlemen, 
Our retiring President has again thrown upon me the onus of 
addressing you at the conclusion of another year of the Society’s 
existence. The difficulty of doing so is not at all small, but it is much 
lessened by the fact that we have had largely a successful year, that 
the Society is leading a living and undoubtedly useful scientific 
existence, and that the prevalent harmony among the officers and 
members of the Society is of the most cordial and heartiest description. 
The high position that our members are taking in the scientific 
branches of entomology, leads me to go aside from the beaten track of 
speaking about what I may call “collector’s entomology,” and tempts 
me to devote a little time to more solid considerations. 
It is strange, but undoubtedly true, that the educated classes at 
large take very little interest in the study of insect life. Why this is so 
is not easy to explain. It may be that, to the thoughtless individual, 
insects are so minute as to be positively beneath contempt; it may be 
that we cannot point to a monetary value at all commensurate with the 
time expended, a view in no wise to be entirely overlooked in connection 
