1 9 3 6 ▁by ▁a ▁small ▁group ▁of ▁distinguished ▁scient ists , ▁li br ari ans ▁and ▁bibli ograph ers ▁whose ▁appreci ation ▁and ▁love ▁of ▁books ▁inspired ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁Society ▁in ▁London . ▁ ▁The ▁Society ' s ▁first ▁President ▁was ▁Charles ▁Dav ies ▁Sher born ▁( 1 8 6 1 – 1 9 4 2 ), ▁who ▁compiled ▁the ▁Index ▁Animal ium ▁single - hand edly ▁over ▁ 4 3 ▁years ▁( 1 7 5 8 – 1 8 5 0 ). ▁This ▁ 1 1 ▁volume , ▁ 9 , 0 0 0 ▁page ▁work ▁became ▁the ▁basis ▁for ▁zo ological ▁nom en cl ature . ▁▁ ▁The ▁Society ' s ▁main ▁publication ▁is ▁Archives ▁of ▁Natural ▁History ▁which ▁is ▁published ▁for ▁the ▁Society ▁by ▁Edinburgh ▁University ▁Press . ▁Archives ▁of ▁Natural ▁History ▁provides ▁an ▁a venue ▁for ▁the ▁publication ▁of ▁papers ▁on ▁the ▁history ▁and ▁bibli ography ▁of ▁natural ▁history ▁in ▁its ▁broad est ▁sense , ▁and ▁in ▁all ▁periods ▁and ▁all ▁cult ures . ▁This ▁includes ▁bot any , ▁ge ology , ▁p ala e ont ology ▁and ▁zo ology , ▁the ▁lives ▁of ▁natural ists , ▁their ▁publications , ▁correspond ence ▁and ▁collections , ▁and ▁the ▁institutions ▁and ▁soci eties ▁to ▁which ▁they ▁belong . ▁Bibli ographical ▁papers ▁concerned ▁with ▁the ▁study ▁of ▁rare ▁books , ▁manuscript s ▁and ▁illustr ative ▁material , ▁and ▁analyt ical ▁and ▁enumer ative ▁bibli ograph ies ▁are ▁also ▁published . ▁From ▁time ▁to ▁time , ▁the ▁Society ▁also