92 V-liOCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



ing Member, viz., John S. Kennedy, Esq., C.E., who had been recently 

 appointed to a geological post in India, and died on his way to Singapore 

 to recruit his health ; we have also lost ten Associates, in consequence 

 of their having graduated in this University, or left Dublin. On the 

 other hand, we have gained eight Life Members and three Annual 

 Members, as compared with last year's list. On the whole, the position of 

 the Society appears to be very satisfactory, so far as numbers are con- 

 cerned, for the loss has principally fallen on those members — Honorary, 

 Corresponding, and Associate — who contribute little towards the funds of 

 the Society ; while our gain has been in Life and Annual Members, 

 who contribute most to the pecuniary welfare of our body. 



Your Council have succeeded, by the aid of the sale of £50 stock, in 

 paying off all the debts which have so long impeded the progress of our 

 affairs ; and believe that, in a financial point of view, we are now in a 

 better position than we have been for many years, as the current expen- 

 diture is now placed on a scale strictly commensurate with the yearly 

 income ; and your Council confidently expect to make each year's income 

 in future pay the whole of the current expenses of the year. 



The Council were enabled to bring about this satisfactory state of 

 things by means of their agreement, as to printing, with the Editor of 

 the "Natural History Review," which enabled them, in conjunction 

 with the liberal grant of £25 from the Board of Trinity College, to print, 

 during 1856, the large amount of 180 pages of your " Journal," at a cost 

 to the Society of only £30. 



Your Council have made a new agreement with the "Natural His- 

 tory Review," for the year 1857, by which the Society will obtain 250 

 copies of 128 pages, for the sum of £25. This amount of printing in 

 the "Journal" will meet all the wants of the Society, and we shall obtain 

 the advantage of the additional circulation of 500 copies of the "Review" 

 for our papers, which your Council believe are looked upon as interest- 

 ing and valuable by an increasing circle of readers. 



Among the Annual Members lost to the Society, your Council ha3 to 

 deplore the loss, by death, of Mr. Richard Hitchcock, who had served 

 the Society well and faithfully for many years. The Council has ap- 

 pointed Mr. Blackwood to succeed him — an appointment which they 

 have reason to believe will give satisfaction to the Society. 



A change was proposed in the organic laws of the Society by 

 the Council, which was sanctioned at the January meeting by the 

 Society, to the effect that the President may, in future, be elected five 

 times in succession, instead of twice, which was formerly the rule 

 of the Society. It is hoped that this change will work well for the 

 Society. 



The Appendix which accompanies this Report contains full informa- 

 tion relative to the names of the 164 members at present on the books 

 of the Society; the list of Societies entitled to receive the " Journal of 

 the Geological Society of Dublin ;" the names of the members gained 

 and lost during the year ; the donations made to the Society ; and the 

 audited accounts of the Society to the 31st December, 1856, — from 



