4 
evincing a continued interest in the welfare of the Museum, and 
rendering the many series of specimens, which it contains, more 
complete year by year, and more useful to those who are study- 
ing various branches of Natural History. The literary aids to 
such studies, attainable from the Library in connexion with your 
Museum, are also being more extensively availed of, and are being 
annually augmented by donations of various books. A list is 
appended to present report showing the special additions made 
during last season to both Museum and Library. With respect to 
the general public—to whom it is only on particular and notable 
oceasions that your Council have deemed it advisable to appeal for 
support—the most encouraging facts can be stated. Your Council 
refer pointedly to the artizan public, who have, for many years 
past, always shown by their presence, in large numbers, at the 
Museum, on Easter Monday—the North of Ireland annual holiday 
—how much they enjoyed the pleasure of inspecting the collec- 
tions then displayed. The same feeling has been manifested on 
the last Easter Monday—namely, on the 5th April, 1863—when 
between 4,500 and 5,000 persons visited your Museum. Your 
Council had previously thrown open the Museum on the same 
cheap terms, on the occasion of the marriage of his Royal High- 
ness the Prince of Wales, on the 10th March, 1863. On that 
occasion more than 1,000 individuals were present ; but it was 
evident that the general mass deferred their visit till the reeur- 
rence of their regular holiday time at Easter. Your Council 
have much pleasure in reporting to you the inauguration of a 
new Association, composed of young persons, under the superin- 
tendence of Mr. Tate, Geological Lecturer in connexion with 
Government. It is termed the “ Field Naturalists’ Club,” a 
society whose chief aim is the study of Natural History, &c., 
by the practical means of out-of-door excursions. This new 
Club, in whose welfare your Council feels much interest, ex- 
pressed a desire to be affiliated in some way with the “ Natural 
History and Philosophical Society.” Your .Council at once met 
this wish, so far as they possibly could, with a due regard to the 
rights and privileges of Museum shareholders and of the Society’s 
members, by giving tothe “ Field Naturalists’ Club” the follow- 
ing privileges :— 
Ist.—Access by each member of the Field Naturalists’ Club 
to the Museum collections for the purposes of study. 
2nd.—Use of the Museum lecture-room once each fortnight, on 
an evening not interfering with the Museum Society’s own lecture 
nights. 
3rd.—Twelve tickets to be sent each evening of the Museum 
Society's meetings, to the President of the Field Naturalists’ 
Club, for distribution amongst the members. 
No money subscriptions whatever to be accepted from the 
Club, but, of course, all extra expenses connected with the 
lighting, heating, &c., of the lecture-room for their own meet- 
ings, to be defrayed by them. The Council hope you will ap- 
