Appendix. vii 



The heartiest thanks of the Club are due to those who have kindly 

 presented books, pamphlets, periodicals, &c., and whose names will be 

 found from time to time in the ' Journal of Proceedings.' Some of the 

 volumes are of considerable and increasing value, and it is only necessary 

 to add that the greatest possible care will be taken of all works entrusted 

 to the keeping of the Librarian, who hopes to have a busy year in 

 receiving additions to the Library, and circulating them among the 

 members. 



The Museum has also made some progress, although the additions to it 

 have not been so numerous as to the Library. Early in the year the 

 Council voted a sum of £36 15s. towards fitting up the rooms. About 

 £83 of this amount has been so expended, but before much can be done 

 in the very desirable work of collecting a series of the natural productions 

 of Essex, a very considerable sum must be expended in the purchase of 

 cabinets and cases. Attention has been more than once drawn to this 

 matter at the meetings of the Society, and we have the benefit of a paper 

 by Mr. Harting, which very clearly points out the line we should take and 

 the methods to be employed in establishing a local museum. The Council 

 must impress upon the members the desirability of aiding in every way 

 in their power the growth of the collections. In this work almost every 

 one can help, with but a small expenditure of money, and it may be 

 pointed out to beginners and novices that no surer method is possible of 

 acquiring a definite and useful knowledge of natural history than by 

 judiciously collecting specimens under the guidance of some more ad- 

 vanced student in the same department. It is intended to issue some 

 detailed instructions as soon as possible. Pressure of other matters con- 

 nected with the Society has delayed the appearance of these hints, but it 

 is hoped that they wiU be issued by the summer, and that an immediate 

 result will be apparent in the extent of the Museum treasures. 



The finances of the Society are not quite so satisfactory as could 

 be wished, owing mainly to the number of subscriptions still unpaid. In 

 the great majority of cases, no doubt, this neglect of the first duty mem- 

 bers owe to the Society is the result of thoughtlessness, but the Council 

 cannot too strongly appeal to the backward members to remedy this state 

 of things. The repeated sending out of letters of application entails 

 considerable expense, which is so much money wasted, and a more serious 

 consequence is that non-compliance with the rule that all subscriptions 

 are payable in advance on January 1st in each year throws upon the 

 officers of the Society an amount of ufksome and very unpleasant work, 

 which it is not right that they as volunteers should be called upon to 

 perform. Ill-health, necessitating an absence from England during tha 

 winter months, obliged Mr. H. J. Barnes to resign his office as Treasurer 

 in the autumn. To Mr. Barnes, as its first Treasurer, the Society owes 

 its best thanks, and the Council is sure that the members generally will 

 echo the wish that he may return in the spring completely restored 

 to health. Mr. K. L. Barnes very kindly undertook to act as Treasurer 



