i 



COUNCIL FOR 1857. 9 



name a reference to a standard work, in which the species is 

 figured and described ; a plan which is carried out in labelling 

 our Marine shells, and if generally adopted, would be of the 

 greatest assistance to those who consult a public collection for 

 the purpose of scientific study. 



In accordance with the wishes of many members of the 

 Society, the Council have constructed a Marine Aquarium, 

 which is placed near one of the hothouses, and furnished it 

 with a variety of zoophytes, Crustacea and fishes. Considerable 

 difficulty was experienced at first in keeping the water in a 

 proper state of purity ; but by the exertions of Mr. Pumphrey 

 and Mr. Baines this difficulty has been overcome. At the 

 present moment the Marine Aquarium is an object of especial 

 attraction to all who take an interest in Natural History, 

 whether they are satisfied to admire the beauty of colour and 

 form which many of these productions of nature exhibit, or 

 desire to study the structure and functions by which they are 

 adapted to their peculiar conditions of life. 



No additions of importance have been made to the Collec- 

 tion OF Antiquities during the past year. Such as have 

 been received will be found noticed in the List of Donations. 

 The design of erecting a building for the reception of the Roman 

 pavement, alluded to in the last Report, was subsequently laid 

 aside, and a new arrangement made of the upper room of the 

 Hospitium. By this means space has been gained for laying 

 down and displaying to advantage the remarkable pavement 

 brought from Oulston ; the appearance of the whole apartment 

 has been improved, and room has been provided for future 

 additions. At the same time all the cases have been cleaned 

 and some repainted. The expense of these alterations and of 

 laying down the pavement has been great ; but considerably less 

 than the erection of a new building would have cost. The 

 Council avail themselves of this opportunity of acknowledging 

 their obligations to Mr. Fowler Jones for the liberal manner in 

 which he has given his professional assistance in carrying out 

 these changes. The second edition of the Descriptive Catalogue 

 of the Antiquities being exhausted, another is about to be 

 printed, adapted to the new arrangement of the room. 



