8 REPORT OF THE 



the liberal manner in which tlie call of the Council was re- 

 sponded to, when application was made to the Members of the 

 Society, and to other gentlemen residing within the county, 

 for contributions to the Keception Fund; the sura raised 

 in consequence having amounted to nearly .iS'llOO. 



Secondly, this result was owing to the generous co-opera- 

 tion of the Authorities of the City, who, under the guidance 

 of those enlightened views by which they are distinguished, 

 placed the Guildhall and its numerous apartments at the ser- 

 vice of the Association ; and to a similar feeling on the part 

 of other public bodies, who, almost without exception, granted 

 the gratuitous use of the rooms under their charge. 



Lastly, the success of the arrangements was due to the 

 indefatigable exertions of the Local Committee, a body which, 

 whilst it included members of several other scientific insti- 

 tutions belonging to this county, was so constituted that the 

 Council were enabled with perfect confidence to intrust the 

 interests and credit of the Society to its hands, and to devolve 

 upon it the whole charge of those preparations which proved 

 so highly satisfactory. 



One of the most important preliminary measures, in a 

 scientific view, which the Council adopted, was to request 

 several Members of the Society, and others competent for the 

 task, to draw up reports on the several branches of the Natural 

 History of Yorkshire, especially with regard to the geogra- 

 phical distribution of its plants and animals, and the mineral 

 productions of its mining districts. 



The report on the last-mentioned subject was zealously 

 undertaken by a Member of the Society, who had long de- 

 voted his energies and talents to the promotion of its in- 

 terests ; and whose untimely loss it had to deplore at a mo- 

 ment when his exertions in its behalf were of the greatest value. 

 Mr. Hatfeild had expressly undertaken a tour through the 

 mining districts of the North of England, for the purpose 

 of collecting mineral specimens, and obtaining mineralogical 

 information, with a view to the report which, had he lived, 



