in possession of this knowledge will have a good instrument ready 

 at hand for the examination of the numberless objects which require 

 the aid of the microscope. 



The reports of the scientific proceedings in the Kentish Gazette 

 are well known for their acciiracy and completeness, and are kept by 

 the Hon. Assistant Secretary in a book for reference. Of these 

 copies have frequently appeared in various journals, and abstracts 

 so regularly and judiciously, in the Quarterly Journal of Micro- 

 scopical Science, that your committee have secured copies thereof 

 for the Annual Report of the East Kent Natural History Society. 

 And it is believed that these short abstracts will afford at one view 

 a more succinct and regular account of the scientific proceedings 

 than has yet apjaeared in any Annual Report of the Society ; and show 

 that it has, besides providing a regular course of rational amuse- 

 ment, done some good and original work towards the advancement 

 of science. In short, it may be reasonably hoped that the scientific 

 proceedings of the Society have already tended, and may_ still further 

 tend, to the promotion of one of its most cherished objects, that of 

 creating or developing a taste for natural history in the district. 

 And this, so far as regards the young, not to displace the valuable 

 mental training of the venerable mathematics and classics of the 

 schools, but to run side by side in generous emulation, whenever the 

 scholar may prove by his inclination and capacity to be worthy of 

 encouragement in the race. 



In conclusion, your Committee have to remark that the warmest 

 thanks of the Society are due to its President, to its Treasurer and 

 Librarian, and to its Honorary Secretaries. The labours of Colonel 

 Horsley in keeping the accounts, and in providing on the most 

 advantageous terms the additions to the Library, have been marked 

 by an intelligent zeal rare even in paid officers. And the living 

 treasures of Mr. Fullagar's aquarium have always been ready for 

 the amusement and instruction of the members at the scientific 

 meetings. The contributions of other members are regularly, 

 though briefly, noticed in the abstracts already mentioned. To 

 Colonel Horsley, Mr. Sidney Harvey, Mr. FuUagar, and Mr. R. J. 

 Bell, the scientific meetings have, as formerly, been much indebted 

 for valuable assistance in the microscopic department. 



REPORT OP THE LIBRARIAN FOR THE TEAR 

 1872. 



The funds at the disposal of the Librarian during the year 1872 

 consisted of £1 5s. 6d., being the balance remaining from the 

 library fund of 1871, and £10 fi'om the general fund of the Society, 

 making a total of £11 5s. 6d. Of this sum £4 15s Id. was spent in 

 the purchase of new books, as mentioned below, £5 8s. 3d. for 

 periodicals, including extra numbers of Journal of Science, and 

 Geological Magazine to complete the volumes of 1869 and 1870, and 

 £1 Ss. 7d. for binding 13 volumes of previous years' f)eriodicals ; 

 thus showing a total expenditure of £11 lis. lid., being an excess 



