s 
t 
least, from the causes alluded to. ‘The innocent recreation 
afforded, by inspecting the numerous and interesting ob- 
jects which our Museum contains, is a cheap addition to 
the holiday pleasures of the working classes of the town, 
while, by tending to popularise a taste for information, it 
cannot fail to produce most salutary effects. It should be 
a source of much satisfaction to the Society, that Belfast 
was one of the first towns in the United Kingdom to en- 
courage the mental improvement of the artisan, by plac- 
ing within his reach those institutions which have been en- 
riched by the contributions of our citizens, from all parts 
of the world. 
« Some valuable additions to the collection have been re- 
ceived since the Council’s last report, including a series 
contributed by Sir Emerson Tennent, and R. Templeton, 
Esq., R.A., illustrative of the natural history of the island 
of Ceylon, which have been forwarded as part of a still 
more extensive collection, of which it is intended by these 
gentlemen to make our Museum the repository. Several 
donations of books, transactions of scientifie bodies, &c., 
have been added to the library. To his Excellency the 
Lord Lieutenant the Society is indebted for the ordnance 
survey maps of Fermanagh, Monaghan, and Cavan, which 
complete the series for the Province of Ulster, portions 
of which had been contributed by previous Viceroys. 
“ The present building accommodation in the Museum has, 
for some time past, been found quite inadequate for the 
arrangement and display of the greatly-increased collec- 
tion, and the Council have frequently, of late, been em- 
barrassed in accepting valuable donations, which they were 
unable to exhibit in such a manner as their importance, 
and the kindness of the contributors, would require. In 
resumption, therefore, of the efforts formerly made to ex- 
tend the buildings of the Museum, and to fit up with 
cases all the available spaces at present existing, circu- 
lars were addressed to the shareholders and members of 
the Society, and to such other persons as might be expect- 
ed to contribute to this object, setting forth the causes 
which urged the application and soliciting their aid. A 
commencement has already been made towards the collec- 
tion of subscriptions and the sale of shares in the Museum, 
