8 



History have taken place in ouv immediate neighbourhood 

 during the past yeai-, and it is hoped that advantage will be 

 taken of the facility this society affords, in investigating any 

 Natural History facts, which may be brought to light in the 

 district. 



The first general meeting of this society, for the past year, 

 ■was held in St. George's Hall, on the 8th of April, 1859, on 

 which occasion the annual report was read and adopted. 



Sir Walter James, of Betteshanger, Kent, was unanimously 

 elected to fill the office of President for the year. A vote of 

 thanks was accorded to Sir Brook W. Bridges for his kindness 

 in filling that office during the past year. A vote of thanks 

 was also passed for the services rendered by the vice-presi- 

 dents, as also to the secretary, treasurer, and committee. 



The Eev. the Dean of Canterbury having been elected to 

 the chair, the Eev. F. T. Scott read a very interesting paper 

 on the " Honey Bee," prefaced by some admirable remarks on 

 the present state of the society, and its future prospects. The 

 room was filled with illustrations of the Natural History of 

 the district, exhibited by Messrs. Eeid, Andrews, Dowker, 

 Martin, Major Munn. Masters, Horsley, Maiden, Castleden, 

 Keeler, and Pettit, and Captain Cox. 



The second general meeting of the society took place at 

 Eamsgate, on which a dredging expedition was successfully 

 carried out, after which a meeting was held in the Music Hall, 

 A. Crofton, Esq., in the chair. Mr. Austin read a paper on 

 the " Ornithology of the Isle of Thanet," illustrated by a fine 

 collection of birds. J. T. Hillier, Esq., read a paper on the 

 • 'Sea Anemonies" found on the Thanet Coast. This paper 

 was copiously illustrated by diagrams and living specimens. 

 There were exhibited stuffed birds, hornets' nests, birds' eggs 

 Aquaria, together with the results of the dredging expedition. 



The third general meeting of the society took place at 

 Faversham. After an excursion through the Syndale and 

 Kade's woods, the party assembled at the Assembly-rooms, 

 Faversham, under the presidency of J. F. Crookes, Esq. 

 Major W. A. Munn read a paper on the " Oyster," which was 

 illustrated by dissections by F. G. Giraud, Esq. There were 

 exhibited a fine collection of British birds, the collection of 



