300 THE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY OP LONDON. 



Society shall be in a condition to ofier immediate and actual advan. 

 tages to its members. The Council will endeavour, gradually and 

 securely, to extend the basis of the Society, and to embrace, as their 

 financial means may allow, the whole of the following objects, 

 which they consider are obviously (in the words of the prospectus) 

 legitimate objects of a National Ornithological Society, viz. : The 

 free exhibition of living birds in the public parks ; the introduction, 

 breeding, and distribution (with a view to the naturalization) of all 

 such foreign birds as are suited for domestication in preserves, 

 poultry yards, and cages ; the publication and patronage of scienti- 

 fic, popular, and practical works on Ornithology ; the formation of 

 an useful and interesting museum, and a standard ornithological li- 

 brary of consultation and reference ; the institution of periodical 

 meetings, lectures, and prizes for ornithological essays, and for the 

 breeding of useful and ornamental foreign birds. The extent to 

 which the Council will venture to attempt these objects, will de- 

 pend entirely upon the means which may be placed at their dis- 

 posal; they are confident, however, that the mere endeavour to 

 accomplish such objects can hardly fail to be serviceable to Science, 

 to be popular and attractive, and to be productive of practical uti- 

 lity. The Council have great satisfaction in stating that a consi- 

 derable majority of the most eminent British ornithologists have 

 promised their co-operation and support. So many members of the 

 Society have offered donations, and loans of specimens for exhibition 

 in the museum whenever it should be opened, and so important it 

 appeared, in the present state of the Society, to bring the members 

 as much as possible together, for the attainment of their common 

 objects and the rapid extension of the institution, that the Council 

 conceive that its interests would best be consulted by providing, 

 without further delay, as good an accommodation for the meetings, 

 museum, and library, as the circumstances of the Society would 

 afford : they have, therefore, taken these rooms for a period of three 

 months, renewable upon the same terms, viz. J6140. per annum. 

 They propose that (Sundays excepted) the rooms should be daily 

 open to members and their friends from half-past nine till six, and 

 that the museum and library should be always open, without re- 

 striction, to scientific persons and artists. — The Earl of Liverpool, 

 as President, has appointed the following noblemen and gentlemen 

 to be Vice Presidents of the Society, viz. : His Grace the Duke of 

 Bedford, the Bishop of Norwich, Sir Robert Peel, Bart., M.P., 

 W. S. Macleay, Esq., W. Swainson, Esq., and N. A. Vigors, Esq., 

 M.P. — The Council have elected the Earl of Derby and Dr. Bur- 



