6 
gradual republication of the Catalogue in classes is being proceeded 
with; the Fiction division is nearly ready for the printer, and the 
third division which is to consist of History, Biography and Travel, 
is in progress. 
The re-arrangement of the Museum is steadily progressing, and 
the Committee which has the work in hand has done a good year’s 
work, principally among the Invertebrates. Further details respect- 
ing the Museum will be found in the Curator’s Report. 
The building is in a good state of repair, and the amount spent 
on keeping it so has been again comparatively a smail one. With 
no special expenses during the year, the Committee have been able 
to go back to the usual amount spent on the Library proper, and 
they see no reason why this amount should not be further increased 
during the coming year, as there seems to be no probability of any 
special outlay. 
The Committee note with very great regret, the death of Mr. 
William Hobson, J.P. for twenty-three years Chairman of this 
Institution. At their meeting on October 30th, 1893, when they re- 
ceived his resignation, they placed on record their conviction that 
*“ His unremitting attention to the interests of the Institution has 
done much to place it in its present prosperous condition.” In 
his retirement its welfare occupied much of his thoughts, and the 
remembrance of the work he had done in connection with it was 
always a source of keen pleasure to him. 
It is the duty of the Committee in closing this Report to thank 
the numerous donors of books, newspapers, magazines, and Museum 
specimens for their gifts during the past year, and they desire further 
to place on record their high opinion of the way in which the 
Librarian and all his staff perform their duties. 
On behalf of the Committee, 
GEORGE BOTTOMLEY, 
Chairman. 
October, 28th, 1897. 
