BYE-LAWS

OF THE

LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON,

AS CONFIRMED AT A GENERAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY HELD ON THE 6TH OF JULY 1802.

CHAPTER I.

Of the Election and Admission of Fellows.

SECTION I. EVERY Fellow who intends to propose any Person to be a Fellow of the Society, shall, before such Person be proposed, make known to him the nature of the Obligation into which he is to enter, in the event of his being elected; and also the Sum which is to be paid for Admission-Money, the rate of Annual Payments, and the Sum to be paid in lieu of Annual Payments, for the use of the Society.

II. Every Candidate for Admission as a Fellow shall be proposed and recommended by Three or more Fellows, who shall, at a General Meeting of the Society, cause to be delivered to the Secretary a Paper, signed by themselves, specifying the Christian Name, Surname, Rank, Profession, Qualifications, and the usual Place of Residence of such Person; all which shall be certified from their personal Acquaintance with him or with his Writings.

III. No Person shall be proposed as a Fellow, or be capable of being elected as such, until he shall have fully attained the Age of Twenty-one Years.

IV. Each Recommendation of a Candidate for Admission as a Fellow, shall be hung up in the common Meeting-Room of the Society, the Date of the Day on which it shall be presented being previously written on it, and shall be read at Three successive General Meetings, between the Meeting at which the same shall be presented and the Meeting at which the Ballot for Election shall take place.

V. No Person shall be declared to be elected a Fellow, unless he have in his Favour Two-thirds of the Number balloting.

VI. Every Person chosen a Fellow shall have immediate Notice of his Election given to him by the Secretary, and shall appear personally for his Admission within the Space of Two Months from the Day of his Election, or within such further Time as shall be granted by the Society or Council, upon special Application being made to them for that Purpose; and, in default of his so appearing, his Election shall be void.

VII. No Person elected shall be admitted a Fellow of the Society, until he shall have paid his Admission-Fee, and given the usual Bond for the Payment of Yearly Contributions, or paid the Sum appointed in lieu of such Contributions.

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VIII. Every Person elected a Fellow of the Society shall, before his Admission, subscribe an Obligation in the following Words, viz. "We who have hereunto subscribed do hereby promise, each for himself, that we will endeavour to promote "the Good of The Linnean Society of London, and to pursue the "Ends for which the same was instituted: That we will be present "at the Meetings of the Society, as often as conveniently we "can, especially at the Anniversary Elections, and upon extraor

"dinary

"dinary Occasions; and that we will observe the Statutes, Bye"Laws, and Orders of the said Society. Provided that, when"soever any of us shall signify to the President, under his Hand, "that he desires to withdraw from the Society, he shall be free "from this Obligation for the future." And if any Person should refuse to subscribe the said Obligation, the Election of that Person shall be void.

IX. The Admission of every Fellow shall be at some Meeting of the Society in Manner and Form following, viz. The President, taking him by the Hand, shall say, "A. B. By the Authority "and in the Name of the Linnean Society of London, I admit you a Fellow thereof."

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X. No Person shall be deemed an actual Fellow of the Society, nor shall the Name of any Person be printed in the Annual List of the Fellows of the Society, until such Person shall have paid his Admission Fee, and given the usual Bond for the Payment of Annual Contributions, or paid the Sum appointed in lieu of such Contributions; and no such Person shall have Liberty to vote at any Election or Meeting of the Society, before he shall have been admitted as directed in the preceding Section.

CHAPTER II.

Of the Payments to be made by the Fellows.

SECT. I. All Fellows elected on or before the Twenty-fourth Day of May 1802, who have already paid their Admission-Fees, but have not paid the Sum of Ten Guineas at one Payment, in lieu of all Annual Contributions, shall pay to the Use of the Society the Annual Sum of One Guinea; the First Payment to become due

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due on the Twenty-fourth Day of May 1803. Provided, however, that every such Fellow may, at any Time, compound for all future Annual Payments by paying the said Sum of Ten Guineas, including the Annual Guinea which may be due at the Time such Composition shall be paid.

II. Every Person who shall be elected a Fellow after the Twenty-fourth Day of May 1802, shall, before he be admitted, pay to the Use of the Society the Sum of Three Guineas for his Admission-Fee. And if any such Person refuse or fail to pay the said Sum, his Election shall be void; unless the AdmissionFee be remitted in whole or in part, by special Order of the Council.

III. Every Fellow who shall be elected after the Twenty-fourth Day of May 1802, shall, besides the Admission-Fee, further contribute towards the Funds of the Society, previous to his Admission, by paying the Sum of Twenty Guineas in lieu of all future Payments; or he shall execute a Bond, in the penal Sum of Twenty Pounds, for the regular Payment of Two Guineas per Annum to the Society, so long as he shall continue a Fellow. But, if any such Person be not usually resident within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, such Person shall not be permitted to give Bond for the Payment of Annual Contributions, but shall, within Two Months after his Election, and before he be admitted, pay, or cause to be paid, into the Hands of the Treasurer, the Sum of Twenty Guineas, in lieu of such Contributions.

IV. Every Fellow who shall be elected after the Twenty-fourth Day of May 1802, may, at any Time, compound for his future Contributions by paying the Sum of Twenty Guineas in One Year, instead of the Annual Contribution for that Year; and, in such Case, his Bond shall be delivered up.

V. All

V. All Yearly Contributions shall be considered due and payable at each Anniversary Meeting for the Year preceding; but no Fellow elected on or after the First Day of February in any Year, shall pay the Annual Contribution at the Anniversary Meeting which shall immediately follow his Election.

VI. If any Fellow paying Yearly Contributions should fail to bring, or send in the same to the Treasurer, within Twelve Months after each Anniversary Meeting, unless the said Payment be remitted in whole or in part by special Order of the Council, his Bond shall be put in Suit for the Recovery thereof, and he shall be liable to Ejection from the Society; upon which the Council shall proceed as they may see Cause.

CHAPTER III.

Of the Honorary Members.

SECT. I. The Number of Honorary Members shall not exceed Four.

II. When a Vacancy shall occur in the Number of Honorary Members, the Fellows shall, at the then next, or any succeeding Anniversary Meeting, as they shall think fit, elect, by open Vote, a distinguished Personage to fill such Vacancy; provided that no such Personage shall be considered as elected unless Two-thirds of the Number of Fellows present shall have voted for him.

III. As soon as may be after the Election of any Honorary Member, the President shall announce such Election to him by Letter, and at the same time transmit to him a printed Copy of the Statutes and Bye-Laws of the Society, with a List of the Members.

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