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ANNUAL MEETING.

Wednesday, January Ilst, 1926.

Mr. E. E. GREEN, President, in the Chair.

Dr. S. A. NEAVE, one of the Secretaries, read the following

Report of the Council.

It is again highly satisfactory that the Council is in a position to report steady progress in the work of the Society during the year. The excellent financial position will be separately dealt with in the Treasurer’s Report.

The Society has had serious losses during the year owing to the death of no less than 19 Fellows as compared with 6 in the previous year ; 11 have resigned as compared with 15, but 2 only have been removed for non-payment of subscrip- tion as compared with 10. There has been a slight falling off in the number of new Fellows admitted, 34 as compared with 41. There has consequently been some reduction in the rate of increase of the Fellowship, but nevertheless the Society now consists of 11 Honorary, 2 Special Life, and 700 Ordinary Fellows, a total of 713, which, for the fifth year in succession, is the largest in its history.

The volume of Transactions and Proceedings this year will maintain the high standard that was reached in the preceding one, both in respect of the matter and illustrations. The Transactions will consist of about 700 pages, comprising papers by the following authors :-

G. J. ARROW; G. T. BETHUNE-BAKER; W. S. BRISTOWE; M. CAMERON; Dr. E. A. COCKAYNE; C. DOVER; F. W. EDWARDS; Dr. H. ELTRINGHAM; Dr. F. C. FRASER; Dr. L. G. HIGGINS; W. J. KAYE; A. M. LEA; K. J. MORTON; F. MUIR; A. PHILPOTT; Professor E. B. POULTON; Miss PULIKOVSKI; W. H. T. TAMS; B. P. UVAROV; Dr. J. WATERSTON; C. B. WILLIAMS; and Dr. C, L. WITHYCOMBE,

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Of these, 9 deal with Lepidoptera, 3 with Coleoptera, 2 with . Diptera, 2 with Odonata, .1 each with Neuroptera, Ortho-

ptera, Hymenoptera, Hemiptera and Mallophaga, and 1 is of general interest.

The volume is illustrated by no less than 60 plates, of which 3 are in colour, 25 line block, and 33 half-tone.

The Proceedings will consist of about 150 pages, and are illustrated by 3 half-tone plates in addition to a few text figures. This is somewhat in excess of the usual amount, but the exhibits during the year have not only been un- usually numerous, but have attained an exceptionally high standard of scientific interest.

The originals of all the illustrations were provided by the authors, and Mr. G. T. BETHUNE-BAKER has generously promised f30 towards the cost of his paper. Professor POULTON and Mr. MORICE paid for the cost of the blocks of the plates illustrating their exhibits in the Proceedings.

The detailed work of the Society’s business has been carried on by a Finance and Housing Committee under the chairmanship of Mr. R. ADKIN, a Publications Committee under that of Professor E. B. POULTON, F.R.S., and a Library Committee under that of Mr. J. E. COLLIN. The thanks of the Council are again due to the Fellows serving on these Committees for their valuable assistance.

The Council has voted the sum of f25 towards the cost of the 1923 Volume of the Zoological Record, and unanimously approved the scheme by which, beginning with the 1924 Volume, they guarantee the deficit on each volume up to a maximum of f50, with the strong recommendation that this guarantee should be continued for not less than five years. It is much to be hoped that a guarantee scheme on these lines will place the Zoological Record on a sound financial basis for some years ahead. The matter is especially urgent a t the present time in view of the ambitious American scheme for publishing abstracts of the whole .of the literature on biology. If this develops, as a t present planned, it is likely seriously to affect the sales of the Record without adequately replacing it. The Royal Society has formed a Committee to report upon this scheme, with special reference to its cffect

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on existing publications in this country. At their request a memorandum on the subject has been prepared, and your Council have nominated Professor E. B. POULTON, F.R.S., and Dr. A. D. IMMS as their official representatives to give evidence before the Committee.

The LIBRARIAN reports that considerable additions have been made to the books, the more important being Grose- Smith and Kirby’s “ Exotic Butterflies,” 3 Vols., complete sets of the Annals of the American Entomological Society and of the Guernsey Natural History Society, together with very large numbers of separates, of which the chief donors were Mr. H. DONISTHORPE, Dr. G. A. K. MARSHALL, and the IMPERIAL BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY. The Society would be pleased to receive from Fellows, who are authors, copies of their works if they be not already in the Library.

Arrears of binding and re-binding are being dealt with as funds are available each year.

Practically the whole of the books have now been identified with their cards in the Card Index Catalogue, and much further progress has been made in dealing with the very large collection of separates. The Society now possesses 8 cabinets capable of holding 25 t o 30,000 cards.

During the past year, the experiment was made of opening the Library for the use of Fellows on each Wednesday evening

.until 9 p.m. and closing the office wholly on Saturday. This facility for using the Library has not, however, been taken advantage of to any appreciable extent.

The Report was adopted on the motion of Mr. R. STENTON, seconded by Dr. M. BURR.

The Treasurer’s Report.

The TREASURER then read the following Report :- The year 1924 has been a successful one from a financial

point of view, exceptionally so in certain respects. The redemption of Debentures has proceeded a t 2n unpre-

cedented rate; of the amount outstanding a t the close of 1923, i .c . 22225, no less than 21715 has been repaid, leaving only f510 outstanding. There is a t present a sum

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of €22 8s. l l d . standing to the credit of the fund for redemp- tion of Debentures, which reduces the indebtedness still further. The amount by which the Debentures have been reduced was provided by devoting the bequest of €1000 from the late N. C. Rothschild to this object, by transferring the sum of €634 5s. 2d. saved by the Society from its income, and by some donations to the Housing Fund.

I have every reason to believe that during the present year the Society will be able to redeem the remaining Deben- tures; it will then be entirely free of debt.

The balance of the Hamilton Druce bequest of €750 has been received, and the whole amount of the bequest, €1000, has been invested in New Zealand 4 per cent. inscribed Stock, which will produce an income of €44 per annum.

There were certain difficulties attending the payment of thi’s bequest that a t one time made it doubtful if the full amount would be available. Through the very generous intervention of Mr. R. W. Lloyd the difficulties were, how- ever, eventually overcome, and our best thanks are due to Mr. Lloyd for his successful action.

Perhaps the most remarkable financial success of the Society’s operations during the past year has been the amount received from the sale of the Publications.

A few years ago the Society considered it had done well if it received €150 per annum from this source. In 1924, how- ever, the sales produced the large amount of €500 17s. 7d., or considerably more than three times the income available under the old conditions.

Admission Fees amount to €31 10s. less than in 1923. The other items of income are about the same as last year,

a little more in some instances, a little less in others. The large sum of €402 19s. 8d. has been given in Donations.

Of this amount no less than €230 15s. 4d. was received from, or through, Professor Poulton; being the total cost of his paper in Parts I11 and IV, 1923, af the Transactions. Mr. WJ~oughby EKs has contributed €50 towards the cost of re-wiring 41 Queen’s Gate for the electric light, and Dr. E!tringham has given €20. The warm thanks of the Society are due to these Fellows for their very handsome benefactions,

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Turning to our payments: the amount spent upon 41 Queen’s Gate has been very heavy. We have had to entirely renew the wiring for the electric light, and provide a new set of lamps for the Meeting Room, a t a net cost to the Society of $140 1s. 8d. The new wiring should last for many years, and the benefit of the much better lights afforded by the present lamps is most noticeable a t our meetings. It has been necessary to repaint the front of the building, and to coat the front porch and adjoining balcony with asphalt to keep out the wet. These operations have cost about f75. In all the cost to the Society of the repairs has been a little over 1240.

The sum of f88 8s. 9d. has been spent upon new books, and $46 2s. 9d. on the Library in addition.

The large amount of €913 18s. 4d. has been spent upon the Publications.

It may perhaps be feared that these large i t e m of expendi- ture, and others I have not particularised, will have exhausted the Society’s income. I am therefore glad to be able to report that after a careful and full allowance for all amounts owing (except the Debentures) a t the end of the year there is still a substantial surplus of €201 10s. l ld. available.

Our invested funds, that a year ago amounted to the sum of 43448 9s. 4d., are now valued by the auditors a t €8338 9s. 3d., an increase during the year of f2889 19s. l ld .

The net excess of assets on liabilities is f9016 3s. 1005, not including the Library ; the value of this is certainly not under f5000; probably it is worth considerably more than this sum. It will be seen that the total assets are in the neighbourhood of €15,000.

The Portrait Gallery has been greatly increased in 1924, no less than 18 new portraits of deceased, distinguished Fellows having been procured and hung on the walls of the Meeting Room. These are :-

C. G. Barrett, €I. J. Elwes, W. W. Fowler, J. E. Gray, F. Grut, W. C. Hewitson, E. W. Janson, J. Jenner *Weir, A. H. Jones, F. Merrifield, Richard Owen, N. C. Rothschild, Frederick Smith, H. T. Stainton, Samuel Stevens, J. W. Tutt, A. R. Wallace, and W. Yarrell. A new and better

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portrait of our great benefactor, J. W. Dunning, has been substituted for the former somewhat unsatisfactory one.

The approaching liquidation of the liabilities incurred through the purchase of our home seems to indicate that the present is a suitable time to put forward for consideration another feature of the Society’s programme. I allude to the question of forming a new and more desirable Meeting Room. ,It was recognised when we acquired 41 Queen’s Gate that the very fine room we a t present use for our meet- ings, although it might serve our purpose for a time, was not by any means perfect, and that we ought, as soon as the financial position allowed the expenditure, to provide a new room with better acoustic properties, and with other advan- tages that our present accommodation does not possess. The lease of the Garage a t the rear of the premises will expire a t Michaelmas in the year 1928, and we could then, if we desire, proceed to form a new Meeting Room that I have every confidence would be all we require.

Plans of this suggested extension were prepared some time ago, and are a t present hanging on the walls of the Hall.

Estimates of the necessary cost have not yet been prepared, but it should not be excessive.

There is the further question of the use to which we should put our present Meeting Room when the new one is available. It would certainly make a very handsome Library and Reading Room, but if i t was decided to devote it to this purpose, a considerable sum would be required for the purpose of providing suitable fittings and furniture.

My object in bringing forward this question now is that for several years we have the prospect of a considerable annual surplus of our income, and I hope that a Fund known as the New Meeting Room Fund will be started at once, so that when we require it, a considerable sum may be available from this source. From my knowledge of the Society’s resources in the present year, I am able to say that it seems probable, in addition to redeeming the remainder of the Debentures, we might have some money remaining that could be used for this purpose during 1925.

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The Report and Accounts were adopted on the motion of Mr. H. MAIN, seconded by Dr. H. SCOTT.

It was announced from the Chair that the Fellows nominated as Officers and Council for the ensuing year had been duly elected in accordance with the Bye-laws.

The PRESIDENT then read his Address on “ Some Episodes and Aspects of Insect Life in Ceylon,” and at its conclusion a vote of thanks to him, coupled with a request tha t it might be printed in the Proceedings, was moved by Mr. WILLOUGHBY ELLIS, seconded by Dr. COCKAYNE, and carried unanimously.

A vote of thanks to the Officers for their services was then passed on the motion of Mr. BETHUNE-B9KER, seconded by Mr. BEDWELL, and Mr. W. G. SHELDON, Dr. S. A. NEAVE, and Mr. H. J. TURNER briefly replied.

RECEIPTS AND RECEIPTS. € s. d. S J. d.

To Cash at Bauk and in hand as per last Account- Geperal Account ............ 1,755 4 6 Westwood Bequest Fond . . . . . . . . . 7 3 8 Hamilton Druce Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 0 * 0 Compounding Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 15 10

Repairs to Premises Fund . . . . . . . . . 153 8 11 Library Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 4 4

-- 2,250 l i 3 ,, Interest on Investments-

Birmingham 30/6 Stock . . . . . . . . . 7 3 R ...... . . . . . . . . . . . . Consols 31 I9 0 National War Bond$’ 26 :I 6 . . . . . . . . . . . .

,, Interest- Druce Bequest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 13 0

,, Interest on Deposit- General Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . l i 6 3

,, Rents from Sub-tenants 355 0 0

,, Contributions by Tenants towards House Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 5 6

,, Admission Fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 2 0

. . . . . . . . . ~ 483 5 5

,, Annual Subscriptions- Arrears . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 17 0 1924 1,153 6 10 Advance ..................... 54 11 0

(Subscriptions for 1934 rectived in 1923,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ___- 1,316 14 10

€35 14s.) ,, Sales of Publications ............ 500 17 7 ,, 1)onations in aid of Publications 342 19 3

Electric Light Installation . 6 0 0 0 ,i Niscellaneous Receipts . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 7 2

. . . . . . ,, Donations towards cost of Repairs to

,, Bequest-

......

The late H. H. C. Druce (Balance of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~1,oOo) 750 0 0

25.973 - 9 5

PAYMENTS ACCOUNT. PAYMENTS. € ,y, (1, s. (1,

By Salaries 319 8 6 ..................... ,, Library-

New Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 5 9 Biuding, Repairs slid Insuraucc ...... 46 2 9 Preparation of New Catalogue ...... 14 4 7

143 13 1 __- ,, Cost of Publications-

Priiitiny and Distribution . . . . . . . . . GO4 10 1 Illustrations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309 3 3

913 1s 4 ,. Sundry P r i n h g aud Stationery 28 17 3 ,, Postage 23 4 7

. . . . . . .....................

,, Audit Fee 1 0 10 0 ,, Donation to Zoological Recorti 50 0 (1 ,, Miscellaneous Expenses 44 6 10 ,, House Expenses-.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . ...... Fuel, Gas, and Electric Light 91 6 10 0

’ 5 . Insurance 7 19 4 Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 9 11 Repairs and alterations to Prriilise Repairs to Elect,ric Light Iiistallatioii 200 1 8

Sundry Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 14 5

.. Interest on Debentures (less tax) ... 59 1 10

.. Transfer to Housing Fund . . . . . . . . . 1,634 5 2 ,, Purchase of €1,095 15s. 6d. New Zealand

, 4% Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 0 0

Bonds, 1928 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i 3 10 i

..................... +.

Additions to Furniture . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 17 6

509 9 6 ~_ ., Income Tax thereon . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 3 2

76 5 0

., Purchase of €69 6s. National War

,, Cash at Bank and in Hand- General Account . . . . . . . . . . . . 911 14 9 Compounding Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 16 3 Library Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 2 7 Donations for Sperific Purposes ... 10s 6 8

-- 1,126 0 3 15,9i3 ~ ii 5

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES-DECEMBER 31, 1924.

ASSETS. d s. d. d s. d.

S.W., Cost of Purchase ... ... .., ... 6,250 0 0

€1,354 2s. 2d. 2 % Consols (Compound-

€559 13s. 9d. 5% National War Bonds

TO Freehold Premises, 41 Queen’s Gate,

,, Library, Furniture and Fittings ... ,, Present value of-

ing Pund-&st €1,233 3s.)

Not valued *

... ... 778 12 3

1928 (Compounding Fund-Cost €561 6s. 3d.) ... ... ... ... ... 594 13

€239 12s. 4d. Birmingham Corporation 3% Stock1947 (Westwood Bequest- Cost €250) ... ... ... ... ... ... 155 15

€1,095 15s. 6d. New Zealand 4% Stock 1943-63 (Hamilton Druce Bequest- cost d1,oOo) ... ... ... ... ... 997 3

,, Amounts due to the Society- Subscriptions ... ... ... ... ... ... 15; 10 AdniissionFees ... ... ... ... ... 9 9 Publications ... ... ... ... ... ... 36 3 Rents and Contributions to House

Expenses ... ... ... ... ... ... 167 10 Sundries ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 li

7

1

2 - 2,526 4 1

373 1 11 Less not considered good ... ... ... 25 o o

--- 348 1 11 General Account :

,, Cash a t Bank and in Hand-

Current Account ... ... 318 13 9 On Deposit ... ... ... 617 0 0 hhandsof Secretary ... 6 1 0 , -- 941 14 9

Housing Fund-Current Account ... 22 8 11 Compounding Fund-Current Account 49 16 3 LibraryFund-CmntAccount ... 26 2 7 Donations for Specific Purposes ... ... 105 6 8

~ 1,148 9 2

€10,272 15 2,

LIABILITIES. € S. d . I s. d . By Amounts Due from the Society-

Printing Transactions, Parts 111, IV, and V ... ... ... ... ... ... 575 0 0

Sundry Accounts ... ... ... ... 110 12 10

,, Subscriptions received in Advance ... ,, 5% Debentures-

Issued to provide for Purchase of 41, Queen’s Gate, S.W. : As at 1st January, 1924 ... ... 2,225 0 0

Less Repaid duringyear ... 1.715 0 0 -- 510 0 0

6 7 6 Add Interest Accrued ... ... ,, Excess of Assets over Liabfities-

General Account ... ... . . . . . . Donations for Spec& Purposes Housing Fund ... ... ... ... Compounding Fund ... ... ... Library Fund ... ... ... ... Westwood Bequeat Fund ... ... Hamilton Druce Fund ... ...

516 7 (i --_- 543 5 4 108 6 8

5,762 8 11 % 1,423 2 1 4.

26 2 7 F: 155 15 1 997 3 2

9,016 3 10 --

WESTWOOD BEQUEST FUND. RBCZIPTS. PAYMENTS.

€ s. d. € 3. d .

,, Interest on €239 12s. 4d. Elrmingharn 3% Sbck ... 7 3 S Parts I and 11,1924, Plate XI1 ............ 14 7 4

€14 7 4

To Balance at Bank, January 1,1924 ............ 7 3 8 1 By Amount paid on Account of Cost of Plates for

-- - -

HAMILTON DRUCE FUND. € s. d. € s. a.

250 0 0 1 By Investment in €1,095 15s. 6J. New Zealand 4% To Balance at Bank, January 1, 1924. . . . . . . . . . . . ,, Balance of Legacy received in 1924 ......... Stock 1943-63 ..................... 1,OOO 0 0

€1,000 0 0 81,000 0 0

", LIBRARY FUND. R'

To Balance at Bank, January 1,1924 ............ 69 15 10 ,, One-half of Admission Fees received in 1924 ...... 53 11 o

-- €123 6 10

1'0 Balance at Bank, January 1,1924 ... .. Interest-Hamilton Druce Bequest ... ,, One-half of Admission Fees received in

By Investment in €69 6s. 5% National War Bonds, 1928 .............................. 73 10 7

,, Balance at Bank at date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 16 3

€123 6 10 --

j2 1. d. € s. d. ............... 8s 5 9 ......... 15 4 4 1 By Expenditure on New Books ......... 45 13 0 I ,, Balance at Bank at date .................. 26 2 '7 lW4 ... 53 11 0 I

I -- -- €114 8 4 €114 8 4 _I- - /

HOUSING FUXD (TOTAL RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS TO DECEMBER 31, 1924). RECEIPTS. PAYXENTS.

B s . d . f: s. d. To Receipts to December 31, 1023 ............ 11,582 19 8 I By Payments to December 31,1923 ............ 11,534 1 2 . . . . in 1024 ..................... 1,858 18 9 ,, ,, in 1924 ..................... 1,715 5 4 .. Balance at Bank a t date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 8 11

--- €13,271 18 5

~~

€13,271 -- 15 5 I -. .

HOUSING FUND (AMOUNTS RECEIVED IN 1924).

;6 s. d . 153 8 11 .. Transfer from General Account in 1924 ...... 7@ 0 0

To Balance a t Bank, January 1 , 1924.. . . . . . . . . . .

~- $223 8 11 _ .

To

,,

€ 8 . a.

lation ........................... 120 9 2

€223 8 11

By Payments for Repairs t o Preniises ......... 102 19 9 ,, Part Cosi of Repairs to Electric Lighting Instal-

-

€ s. a. Balence a t Bank as per Last Account ......... 48 lk 6 Trausfer from General Account . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,634 5 2 Donations .......................... 47 4 4 Interest on Deposit ..................... 7 9 3

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€1,737 17 3 -_ _-

€ s. d. By Repayment of Debentures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,716 0 0 ,, Stationery and Printiiig . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 8 4 .. Cash at Bank a t date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 8 11

-__ €1,737 17 3

--