INTRODUCTORY REPORT. 
The Third Volume of Transactions is now pre- 
sented to the members. Besides the record of the 
papers read and excursions made during the year, 
there will be found notices at considerable length of 
three papers of special interest to members of this 
Society, which were given at times antecedent to the 
publishing of the Society’s proceedings. These are 
“Art in the Manufacturing Districts,” by Philip 
Gilbert Hamerton ; “Life in Lancashire in the Tudor 
Reigns,” by James Croston, F.S.A.; ‘The Old Halls 
on the Western Slopes of Pendle: their History, 
Associations, and Present Condition,” by Alfred 
Strange. It is the purpose of the Committee to con- 
tinue in subsequent issues the introduction of reports 
of other papers which were read in the earlier years of 
the Club’s history, and of which no detailed account 
has hitherto been furnished. 
At the termination of the year 1884, the members 
numbered 210. During the year 1885 the Club has 
lost 22 members, one of these being by death, and 14 
new members have been elected ; so that the number 
of members stands now at 202, shewing a decrease of 8. 
During the year 25 Meetings have been held. 
The average attendance at the ordinary meetings has 
been 31 members, 11 friends, or a total of 42. This 
shews a falling off when compared with the figures of 
the previous year, which were 54 members, 13 friends ; 
total 47. Your Committee cannot regard a record of 
attendance as wholly satisfactory which shews that the 
average number of members present at the meetings 
is less than one-sixth of the total number of members 
enrolled, 
