Railway Company. The Committee has, however, undertaken the re- 

 arrangement and thorough overhauling of the Natural History specimens, 

 and the Mammals have now been completed. Worthless specimens have 

 been rejected, and the whole collection has been thoroughly cleaned and 

 put in order, and the cases repapered. The rest of the specimens will be 

 dealt with in due course. Visitors to this department are as numerous 

 as ever, and the proportion of students is certainly on the increase. 

 AVith regard to the number of visitors to the Institution as a whole, it is 

 impossible to tell exactly, but I estimate that at least eight times the whole 

 population of the Borough enters our doors during the year. 



As your Librarian, I attended the Annual Conference of the Library 

 Association, held this year at Belfast. The proceedings were of more than 

 usual interest, and there was a very complete exhibition of Library ap- 

 pliances. I had the honour of being elected a member of the Council of 

 the Association for the fouith year in succession. 



There has been no change in our staff, I am glad to say, during the 

 past year, and I can only repeat what I have said on former occasions as 

 to the way in which they discharge their duties. I do not think that 

 either the Committee or the public could be better served. In closing, 

 I desire once more to place on record my sense of the obligation under 

 which I am to the Press of the town and neighbourhood for their hearty 

 co-operation and help in everything tending to the good of the Library 

 and Museum. To yourselves I also desire to tender my heartiest thanks 

 for the ready help and consideration I have always received at your hands, 

 which make my work here a pleasure. 



I remain, Gentlemen, 



Very faithfully yours, 



WILLIAM CROWTHER, 



Librarian and Curator. 

 October 29th, 1894. 



