The improvements in arranging and displaying the 

 contents of the Museum, carried on through several 

 preceding years, with zeal and perseverance, by Mr. 

 Martin Simpson, have been continued in the one just 

 past; in particular, the great Plesiosaurus has been 

 placed by his direction, in a much more eligible situa- 

 tion, and to him we are also indebted for two Essays 

 on Fossil Saurians by Professor Owen. 



A number of birds, previously in the drawers, have 

 been stuffed by Mr. Graham, of York, and so placed 

 as to render that department of the Museum much 

 more attractive. 



Thus it appears that the attention of your Council 



has again in the past, as in many former years, been 



directed chiefly to the improvement of the Museum; 



and in this they believe they are following out, in the 



most efficient manner, the purposes of the original 



founders of the Society. " The support of a Museum," 



was its primary object, and the only one definitely 



expressed at its formation, as appears by the first 



resolution passed at the first public meeting, on the 



17th of January, 1823, and it has accordingly been 



the especial care of your Council in every succeeding 



year, to keep this object clearly and steadily in view. 



In making this observation, however, it is by no means 



their intention to depreciate meetings for literary and 



scientific discussion, the value of which they readily 



grant, and which, having been frequently held by this 



