THIRTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COUNCIL.
The Council are glad to be able to state that, notwith- standing the continuance of the war, no less than nineteen new members and four new subscribers have been added to the roll of the Society during the past year. Of the sixteen members who have resigned, six accepted the Council's offer to retain their names upon the roll, and to forward them the quarterly parts of Folk- Lore, in the hope that they may be able to resume their subscriptions this year ; and it is possible that some of them may with- draw their resignations.
The total number of members and subscribers upon the roll (including those in belligerent countries) now stands at 419, as against 418 a year ago, but, unfortunately, a larger number of subscriptions is in arrear.
The amount received in subscriptions during the year 1916 amounted to £Z7^ A^- ^d., as compared with ^390 I2S. 6d. in 191 5, so that there has been a further shrinkage of some £\'^. However, in the circumstances, the Society is to be congratulated on the soundness of its financial position.
It is with the deepest regret that the Council have to record the deaths of two of the original members of the Society, viz. Sir Laurence Gomme, who was so largely instrumental in its formation, and to whom its records are indebted for many valuable communications, and Sir E. B. Tylor, who was one of its most distinguished ornaments. The Society has also lost through death Mr. David
