It now remains for tlie Council to congratulate 

 the Society on the pleasing fact, that notwithstanding 

 the unfavourable circumstances which they have felt it 

 their duty to put forwards in a prominent part of the 

 Report, there has throughout the Session, appeared to 

 be a marked improvement in the present operation and 

 future prospects of the Institution. There has been 

 an accession of new Members which, though of course 

 not so considerable as at some earlier periods, has been 

 more than sufficient to supply the vacancies which 

 have occurred from resignations or other causes; and 

 the attendance at the Ordinary Meetings has been fre- 

 quently numerous and invariably respectable, so as to 

 affi3rd flattering indications of an increased and in- 

 creasing taste for scientific and literary disquisition. 



The Museum has continued to receive much im- 

 provement from the judicious attention of the Gentle- 

 men in whose department it more peculiarly lies, to its 

 satisfactory classification and arrangement, in respect 

 of which it holds a distinguished rank among provincial 

 Institutions. In the course of the year, it has been 

 enriched by the valuable donation of an important 

 Collection of Articles from the South Sea Islands, il- 

 lustrating both their Natural History, and the social 

 habits of the Inhabitants, which has been presented by 

 George Bennet, Esq. of London, a gentleman whose 

 name the Society has this year had the satisfaction of 

 enrolling among those of its Honorary Members. In 

 addition to which, the Catalogue of Donations contains 

 an enumeration of many valuable presents, announced 

 during the Session, which respectively claim our grate- 

 ful acknowledgments. 



