10 REPORT OF THE 



influence of the Company nor the rewards of the Society have 

 prevented the unwarranted sale of many curious objects to 

 private collectors ; yet the specimens which have been ac- 

 quired of Roman art, coarse, fine, figured, and glazed pottery, 

 lamps, rings, keys, and coins, found lying near baths and 

 spacious apartments, are neither few nor unimportant. 



The Library has been augmented ; yet not so much nor 

 in such a manner as the importance of this branch of our 

 establishment deserves. In arranging both the Zoological 

 and Botanical departments of the Museum, the want of 

 modern works of reference is severely felt, and an extra- 

 ordinary difficulty is consequently to be surmounted before 

 these collections can be perfectly arranged and named. Some 

 of the works alluded to might be obtained at a small cost, but 

 the Council have been unable to devote any funds to this 

 object. 



The Grounds of the Society have this year witnessed a 

 second splendid exhibition of fruits and flowers, which took 

 place in the month of August, and was attended by three 

 thousand five hundred persons. On this occasion the Museum 

 was thrown open, and the Committee to whom the arrange- 

 ments were entrusted, recommended that instead of borrowing, 

 the Society should purchase a large tent. It was thought, that 

 by this means, the expenses atten4ing any future Horticul- 

 tural Exhibitions would be lessened, and that a tent sufficient 

 for these large meetings would be serviceable and perhaps 

 productive of profit to the Society on many other occasions. 

 The Council adopted these views and authorized the purchase. 

 The cost of the tent was £^0. ; the profits arising from the 

 exhibition were ,£'67. ; and as the Treasurer has since received 

 .=£^10. for the loan of the tent, the purchase may not be 

 considered disadvantageous in a financial point of view. 



