The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-01 00:00:00

Zoological Society of London.

The annual general meeting of this society, being the
37th since its foundation, was held yesterday in the so-
ciety's house, Hanover-square—the Right Hon. Sir Geo.
Clerk presiding.
After some preliminary business, a report from the au-
ditors of the accounts for the past year, giving a very
favourable account of the society's finances, was read by
Mr. Greenaway, chairman of the committee of auditors,
and adopted. The report of the council on the progress of
the society since last anniversary meeting was then read
by Mr. P. Sclater, F.R.S., the secretary. It stated that the
number of fellows, fellows elect, and annual subscribers to
the society together then amounted to 2,218, showing an
increase of 263 since the last anniversary, and that the
number of candidates for fellowship was 87. One foreign
member and 17 corresponding members had likewise been
elected since the last anniversary. The income of the society
for the year 1865 amounted to £23,457 ls. 9d., showing an
increase of £1,743 7s. lid. over the year 1864, and being
the largest sum ever received by the society in any one
year, except in the two years when the great and
international exhibitions were held. The balance
brought forward from the year 1864 had been £1,544
9s. 6d., making a total sum of £25,001 lls. 3d. avail-
able for the year's expenditure. The ordinary expendi-
ture of the society during the year 1865 had amounted to
£18,721 12s. 3d., being £1,514 Is. Bd. more than that of
the year 1864. The extraordinary expenditure of the year
1865 (under which head had been placed the sums devoted
' to new works and buildings, and to certain extraordinary
additions to the menagerie) had amounted to £4,850 75. 6d.,
' making-the total expenditure for the year £23,571 19s. 9d.,
and leaving a balance of £1,429 lls. 6d. to be carried for-
ward for the benefit of the present year. The society's
reserve fund was stated to consist of the sum of £lO,OOO
Reduced 3 per Cents., the balance of which, together with
the cash balance at the society's bankers, and the sums due
from members for arrears, was estimated to have amounted
to £12,158 Gs. 2d. at the close of the year 1865. The
liabilities of the society at the same date were estimated to
have been only £2,006 13s. Bd. The report then proceeded
to speak of the scientific meetings that had been held in
the society's house in Hanover-square during the past year
but which during the next session (1866-7) it was proposed
to hold at Burlington-house in theLinnean Society's rooms,
the necessary arrangements having been made for that pur-
pose between the two societies. The library of the society
had received many valuable acquisitions during the past
year, amongst which was a large series of publications of
various societies with which the Zoological Society was in
correspondence. After alluding to repairs and improve-
ments which had been carried out in the gardens at a total
cost of £1,820 7s. 5d., the report stated that the visitors at
the gardens in 1865 had amounted to 525,176, showing an
excess of 18,007 over the previous year, and being a greater
number than had ever entered the society's gardens in any
one year since their establishment, except the two years of
the Exhibitions. After mentioning the number of ani-
mals in the gardens, including the additions recently made,
the report proceeded to enumerate the donors to the
menagerie, and their several donations, during the
year 1865, and concluded with congratulations to
the general body of the fellows upon the flourish-
ing condition of every branch of the society's affairs.
The council's report having been received and adopted,
the meeting proceeded to elect the new members of
council. The ballot having been taken, the following five
fellows of the society were declared to be elected into the
council for the ensuing year, viz., the Lord Braybrooke,
Mr. George Busk, Mr. J. P. Gassiot, jun., Lieut.-Colonel
Sir Charles Russell, Bart., M.P., and Sir James Emerson
Tennent, in place of the following fellows removed there-
from :—Admiral Sir William Bowles, K.C.B , the Viscount
Bury, the Lord Bishop of Oxford, and Mr. A. J. E. Rus-
sell, M.P.
The ballot for officers resulted in the re-election of the
Right Hon. Sir George Clerk, Bart., as president ; Dr. P.
Sclater, F.R.S., as secretary ; and Mr. Robert Drummond
as treasurer,'for the ensuing year.
Tho proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the
chairman, which was proposed by Sir W. J. Newton, and
carried by acclamation.