195 
by the Academy, that in consideration of its bulk and value, and the 
numerous and beautiful wood-cuts which adorn it, the volume be re- 
ceived as acquitting Mr. Petrie of his engagement; but they have de- 
clined entering into any further agreement with him, as to the publication 
of the remainder of the essay. 
4 In this resolution the Council have also had the concurrence of the 
Academy ; and they may add, that the twentieth volume of the Trans- 
actions has been received with such favour by the members, that it was 
found necessary to order fifty additional copies, over and above the usual 
number which the Academy had originally agreed to take from 
Mr. Petrie, in order to meet the demand of those, not otherwise en- 
titled to it, who desired to obtain it by purchase. 
The twenty-first volume of the Transactions is in progress; four 
sheets have been printed off in the department of Science, and eleven in 
the department of Polite Literature. 
In the publication of the Proceedings much delay and difficulty 
have been experienced. Two additional parts, however, are ready, and 
are now laid on the table; but they extend only to July of last year, 
leaving the proceedings of the present session still in arrear. 
One great cause of this delay has been the difficulty of obtaining in 
proper time, from those who read papers before the Academy, the neces- 
sary abstracts of such papers. This throws an immensity of unnecessary 
labour and trouble upon the Editor of the Proceedings; but the Coun- 
cil have now made a rule, which will in a great measure remedy this 
evil; and they hope that in future there will be nothing to complain of 
on this head. 
During the past year a great number of most important and interest- 
ing papers have been read before the Academy; and on one occasion 
"his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant was pleased to honour us with his 
presence, when the Rev. Dr. Robinson gave an account of the first 
observations made with Lord Rosse’s six-foot reflector. 
The Museum has been fitted up in a manner which has given great 
satisfaction, and has attracted a great number of visiters to the Academy. 
An inventory of its contents has also been commenced, on a plan sug- 
gested by Mr. Clibborn, and is in progress. 
Of the donations to the Museum during the year, may be noticed the 
singularly interesting specimen of an ancient Irish waxed wooden tablet 
