REPORT. 



The experience of the second year of the Institution in its various 

 departments, has fully justified the expectations of those who took an 

 interest in its establishment. Generally, the Committee have to 

 report an increased amount of efficiency, a more extended field of use- 

 fulness, and a greater degree of appreciation in the public mind, of the 

 benefits resulting from the ready and free access to the treasm*es of 

 literatm-e, science, and natural history thus provided. 



A clearer view of the operations of the past year, and of the pre- 

 sent position of each department, will be obtained by noticing the 

 results of each separately : — 



THE DERBY MUSEUM. 



The iiumber of visitors' during the year has been 122,174, being a 

 daily average of 588 for the fom- days of the week on which the Museum 

 is open. A considerable proportion of the visitors have consisted of 

 excm-sionists, chiefly from the manufactiuring districts, the conduct of 

 whom has been orderly and respectable. Amongst the scientific 

 visitors, may be mentioned the King of Portugal, an accomplished 

 zoologist, especially in ornithology, who expressed himself delighted 

 and surprised at the extent and value of the collections, and whose 

 promised assistance, in the way of donation and exchange, may prove 

 of considerable value in future. Professor Owen, Sir William Jardine, 

 Professor Forbes, Dr. Carpenter, and other eminent men of science 

 have visited the Museum dming the recent meeting of the British 

 Association. Several of the specimens were found useful in illustration 

 of papers read dming the sitting. 



The principal donations to the Museum, during the past year, have 

 been as follo'n''s : — 



