The Council invited me to open at a Sessional Meeting a discussion on the new National Life Tables, and I was glad of the opportunity thus given to set forth in a little more detail than heretofore the objects which had to be kept in view in preparing the tables, and the bearing of these objects on selecting a method of construction. At first I had intended to open the discussion by an unwritten speech, but on looking at the subject from this point of view it was found that a mere speech would hardly meet the necessities of the case, and that it would be better to write an informal paper. This I have now the honour to submit.