8 
Company that all traffic was suspended. We had pretty fair 
weather for the Southport excursion. Thus it will be seen that 
the exceptionally wet season of 1879 affected us as well as the 
agriculturalists, and the frequent putting off and changing of 
days for our excursions added not a little to the expense, while 
unfortunately it held back those who join us on these occasions, 
and consider them as the most enjoyable part of the Society’s 
proceedings. 
The Thursday Evening Walks during the summer were 
devoted to visiting spots within easy distance, and as Leaders 
were appointed they were more regularly attended than in 
former years, and would no doubt have been still better appre- 
ciated had the season been more favourable. 
The Annual Conversazione took place on the 2nd October, 
1879, in the Town Hall (by the kind permission of the Mayor, 
L. Givsert, EsQ.), and was certainly one of the most successful 
ever held by the Society. On this occasion the rooms were 
open for the first time during the afternoon as well as in the 
evening, thus affording to those who live in the country, or 
who do not care to venture out of an evening, an opportunity 
for seeing the various objects of interest and beauty exhibited 
on the occasion. We were fortunate in having our President 
with us during the whole day, who stimulated inquiry by his 
ready kindness in answering questions, and by his lucid ex- 
planations ; adding, indeed, in many ways to the success of the 
meeting. The great event, however, of the Conversazione of 
1879, was the presentation of the second Kingsley Memorial 
Medal to Sir Puinip pe Mapas Grey-Heerton, Barr., M.P., 
F.R.S., which took place in the afternoon, and in honouring 
one so justly honoured by the scientific world, one so univer- 
sally respected, and who has done so much for the advancement 
of Natural Science, we felt ourselves honoured by his presence, 
as well as indebted to him for the loan of most valuable cases 
sent from his Museum at Oulton for the occasion. 
During the evening the Kingsley Memorial Prize, for the 
