ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. 28th Makch, 1956. The Eighty-First Annual General Meeting was held in the Society Rooms, Science House, Gloucester Street, Sydney, on Wednesday, 28th March, 1956. Dr. F. V. Mercer, President, occupied the chair. The minutes of the Eightieth Annual General Meeting, 30th March, 1955, were read and confirmed. Presidential Address. For the second time it is my privilege to deliver the Presidential Address of the Linnean Society of New South Wales. Now, more than before, I am conscious of the high honour which this Society has given me. More than ever, I realize the tremendous debt which the Society owes to Dr. W. R. Browne and Dr. A. B. Walkom. On behalf of the Society, I pay tribute to these men so they may know we do not take their activities for granted. Also I know you would wish me to express our gratitude to Miss G. L. Allpress for her loyal and able services. During 1955 a number of changes in the personnel of the Council occurred. Professor P. D. F. Murray resigned from the Council as from 23rd March, 1955, and Mrs. Dorothy A. Thorp, B.Sc. (Lond.) (Mrs. Ronald Thorp) was elected in his place on 20th April, 1955. Mr. D. J. Lee ceased to be a member of Council as from 18th May, 1955, and Mr. A. J. Bearup, B.Sc, was elected in his place. On 22nd June, 1955, Dr. Lilian Fraser was elected a Vice-President in place of Mr. D. J. Lee. On 23rd November, 1955, Dr. J. W. Evans was elected a Member of Council in place of Dr. G. D. Osborne, who died on 5th October, 1955. Professor J. Macdonald Holmes resigned from the Council on 14th December, 1955. During the year sixteen new members were added to the list, three members were lost by death, seven have resigned, and two were removed from the list under Rule VII. The numerical strength of the Society at 15th March, 1956, was: Ordinary Members 206, Life Members 28, Corresponding Members 2, Associate Member 1. Total 237. Parts 1 and 2 of Volume 80 of the Society's Proceedings were published on 19th July and 5th October, 1955, respectively, and Part 3, the printing of which was unavoidably delayed, should appear during April, 1956. The entire cost of publication of the paper entitled "The Australasian Diptera of J. R. Malloch" was borne by the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, University of Sydney. An increase in printing charges was made as from February, 1956. Library accessions from scientific societies and institutions totalling 2,007 (including 166 pamphlets presented by Dr. C. E. M. Gunther) exceeded the total for the previous year. Requests for library loans of periodicals and books to local and interstate institutions and Universities were as numerous as previously. Further subscribers to the Proceedings have received the Parts as issued. Sets of the Proceedings have been purchased by overseas institutions, and the demand for reprints continues to be keen. A duplicate copy of "The Australian Portrait Gallery and Memoirs of Representative Colonial Men", Sydney, 1844, was presented to the Fisher Library, University of Sydney. A collection of old maps and diagrams was handed to the Fisher Library, University of Sydney, on 13th October, 1955, for distribution to the Fisher Library, the Mitchell Library (eleven maps were received by that Library), and University Department Libraries, by the Librarian, Fisher Library. Exchange relations with two institutions were discontinued during the year. Exchanges of publications for our Proceedings were commenced with the following: Museum G. Frey, Tutzing, Germany (instead of Entomo-A
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