8 



soul into the work, sparing neither time, trouble, nor expense to make 

 it successful ; and to him is due a very large share of the credit of 

 bringing together such a splendid Exhibition. 



Whether there shall be another Exhibition next year or no must be 

 left to your new Council to decide ; but your retiring CouncU would 

 like to express the opinion that a year or two ought to elapse before 

 the experiment is repeated. The labour of organisation is enormous ; 

 there have already been two in successive years ; and it will be found 

 very difficult to introduce sufficient novelty into another so early as to 

 ensure success. 



The Summer Excursion Programme was printed and circulated 

 among the members early in June, and contained a list of five excur- 

 sions, as follows : — 



June 24 and 25, ... To Clova. 



July 18, . . . . Sea Dredging. 



_ 27, .... To Fotheringham. 



Au". 10, . . . • ,, Kiukel Braes. 



Sept. 7, . . . . „ Tent's Muir. 



It has been remarked in previous Eeports that there seemed to be a 

 want of interest in this branch of the Society's work. No improvement 

 in this respect can be reported this year. Only one, in fact, could be 

 called really successful, namely, the Sea-Dredging one. From thirty to 

 forty joined in it ; and so successful did it prove, that a second one was 

 organised for the 21st of August, which was even more successful. At 

 these two excursion;s some valuable marine specimens were secured, a 

 number of which have been preserved and placed in the Society's 

 Museum. 



Our Museum has made rapid advance since the time (in February 

 last) when we were again permitted the use of our room. As stated in 

 our last year's Eeport, we were for a time deprived of the use of our 

 room, because it was required in connection with an Exhibition of 

 Eine Art. This necessitated the removal of all our specimens, and the 

 entire suspension of the work of arrangement. Nothing whatever 

 could be done to our Museum until February, when everything had to 

 be re-arranged. Since then, however, very rapid progress has been 

 made by our Curator, Mr Hood, in putting the collection again in 

 order. Your Council feel that tliey have been exceedingly fortunate in 

 their choice of a Curator. Mr Hood may be found almost nightly in 

 the Museum, quietly and steadily at work. In some of the departments 

 he has had the advantage of assistance from members possessing special 



