100 The President's Address.
As this is only our first year, however, it is perhaps better
that I should draw more attention to the general work of the
Club, in order to show to what extent we have striven to
carry out our objects, and how far we have been successful.
As already stated in the Report of the Council, we have
held eleven Ordinary Meetings and seven Field Meetings
during the year. Although our Ordinary Monthly Meetings
have been on the whole well supported, we have thought
it desirable to diminish their number this present session,
in order to increase our chance of securing good attendances
throughout the year, and no Ordinary Meetings will be held
during the months of June, July, and August. By this
means we hope to concentrate the energy of twelve meet-
ings into nine, and in order to make further sure of keeping
alive the interest of our members, the Council has decided
that each meeting shall be announced by a special notice,
so that members may be made acquainted beforehand with
the subjects which authors or exhibitors propose bringing
forward. For the carrying out of this plan we are entirely
dependent upon our members, and it is earnestly requested
that notice will be given to the Secretary of any paper that
is to be read, or any exhibition that is to be made, at least
ten days previous to the meeting.
Of the numerous subjects brought forward and discussed
during the past year, it is not my intention to give a
detailed account, as our "Proceedings" containing full
reports of the meetings are now in your hands. For maintain-
ing the interest of these meetings, the Club is very much
indebted to our indefatigable Honorary Secretary, Mr.
William Cole, and to our members Mr. R. M. Christy, Mr.
James English, and others. Mr. Henry Walker's interest-
ing lecture on "A Day's Elephant Hunting in Essex"
formed the first part of our "Transactions" published in
September. Among the discussions raised, one of the most
suggestive appears to me to be that which followed the
reading of Mr. Christy's note on the habits of the weasel
and stoat, at the March meeting, on which occasion I had
the pleasure of giving expression to some ideas which I
have long entertained with respect to the white colours of