THE COUNCIL. 7 



in the expenses of the garden, of lighting and warming the 

 Museum, and in the preparation of zoological specimens. From 

 all these sources they venture to state that a further reduction 

 upon the necessary expenditure may be realized to the extent 

 of i?.30 annually. 



On the General Account it will appear that the debt is 

 reduced. This reduction would have been more considerable 

 than it is, had it not been thought advisable to supply the 

 deficiency of subscriptions formerly appropriated to the zoolo- 

 gical establishment, and to the excavation of the multangular 

 tower ; a certain part of the expenses attending the erection 

 of the Observatory has also been placed in this account. To 

 prevent the occurrence of such irregular charges in future, the 

 Council have resolved that no works about the Museum or 

 garden, proposed to be executed by the contributions of any 

 of the members, shall be undertaken, until the whole sum 

 required to defray the expense, be actually paid to the 

 officers of the Society, as a security against eventual loss 

 to the Institution at large. 



The Meeting is now in possession of all the facts concerning 

 the employment of their funds during the past year. The 

 Annual Expenditure is diminished, the debt is reduced, and 

 by a sure though slow process of rigid economy it may be 

 wholly removed. But there is a most urgent demand for the 

 completion of a valuable and popular part of the Museum, and 

 the subscription for this purpose is at present inadequate to 

 the object. It is for this Meeting to direct what steps shaU 

 now be taken to maintain the scientific reputation of the 

 Society, without increasing its pecuniary embarrassments. 



b4 



