viii Introduction. 



to be too small to contain the audiences that flocked to hear 

 the proceedings, the papers read increased in merit, and at 

 length it became necessarj'- to limit the number of members 

 to seventy, and that of occasional visitors to fifteen. Since 

 this resolution was passed, in the spring of last year, the 

 full complement of seventy has been always maintained, and 

 it is even more gratifying to add that there are many names 

 of candidates for admission on the Society's books. 



The Meetings are held on alternate Fridays, at half-past 

 six P.M., but there are occasionally extra meetings, when 

 some private business requires to be discussed. The ordinary 

 meetings take place in one of the College class rooms (each 

 of which will not, on an average, seat more than seventy 

 persons) ; but when there is to be a lecture of peculiar interest, 

 it has been customary to meet in Big School, which affords 

 ample accommodation for a large audience. 



A new feature in the constitution of the Society deserves es- 

 pecial notice. In February of the present year (1871), it was 

 proposed to found ' sections ' for the study of certain sciences, 

 and, as the plan met with a ready acceptance at the hands of 

 the Society, seven of these sections have been formed, and are 

 now in full working order. They are as follow : — Botany, 

 Geology, Zoology, Entomology, Chemistry, Physics, and 

 Archaeology. A ' Director ' of each section is nominated by 

 the Society, and some one is appointed by him to keep the 

 records, &c., with the title of ' Sectional Secretary.' Not 

 more than ten members are admitted into each of these 

 companies, and although it is not absolutely forbidden to 

 join more than one section, it is at the same time discouraged, 

 for the Committee believe that the best members of sections 

 will be those who do not distribute their energy over many 

 varied subjects. The President and Secretary of the Society 

 are ex officio members of every section, and may attend the 

 meetings when they please. In this way the sections are 

 brought into close relation with the ' governing body ' of the 

 Society at large. It is left to the Director to summon the 

 members together at such times as may suit general con- 

 venience, and indeed he is allowed to manage the section as 

 may seem to him best, subject only to the control of the 



