COUNCIL'S REPORT 



FOR THE YEAR 1872. 



The Council, in submitting their Annual Report, are able to 

 refer with satisfaction to the continued prosperity of the Society. 

 The ordinary meetings have been well attended, several papers 

 on scientific subjects have been read, many objects of interest 

 have been exhibited, and animated discussions have arisen on 

 topics suggested at the meetings. 



The total number of members on the register at the close of 

 the year was 135, including nine honorary members. During the 

 year, 20 members have been elected, nine have resigned, two, 

 Messrs. Samuel Brown and John Shove, have died, and two have 

 been removed from tlie register for non-payment of subscriptions. 



"With a view to promote the study of Entomology and Botany 

 amongst the members of the Society and their families, the 

 Council, in the early part of the year, announced their intention 

 of giving two prizes of £5 5s. each — one for the best Botanical 

 collection, the other for the best collection of Lepidopterous 

 Insects ; all specimens to be gathered or taken within the West 

 Kent District. The conditions to be observed by intending 

 collectors were published and circulated amongst the members, 

 and the Council hope that when the time arrives for adjudication, 

 it will be seen, ft-om the number of competitors, that the proposal 

 of the Council has met with a hearty response, and that tliis 

 attempt to foster amongst the members, the habit of personal 

 collection, investigation, and independent research in these de- 

 partments of science, has been productive of beneficial effects. 



Meetings of the Society, 1872. 



January 2\th. — Mr. Glaisher made some observations on the 

 Storm of the preceding morning, during the continuance of which 

 the barometer at Greenwich fell to 28*22, being the lowest re- 

 corded reading of the present century, except 13th January, 1843, 



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