been eqiially successful in other directions. Although the 

 City has long had an independent Museum, with a suitable 

 building and funds, there is a sad, and, it is to be hoiked, 

 singular want in the district of a taste for, and knowledge of, 

 natural science, which that Museum has utterly failed to 

 supply. And this is the great difficulty under which the East 

 Kent Natural History Society labours at present. Hence, to 

 excite and diifuse an interest in the subject, to spread and 

 popularize a knowledge of it, appears now to be a chief duty 

 of the Society, which, as already mentioned, has the funda- 

 mental aid of a Library ; and it is hoped that joxir Society 

 may yet succeed in awaking more atteution in the district to 

 the pleasures and advantages aif orded by the pursuit of natural 

 science, especially now the great impoi-tance of it in national 

 ediication has been pulilicly recognized by our great Universi- 

 ties and other learned bodies. 



During the year only one excursion took place, as it has 

 been found difficult and expensive to effect siich gatherings of 

 the members and their friends. Of Lectures there have been 

 several, — liy Dr. Mitchinson, Major Mvmn, Mr. Dowker, and 

 Mr. Gulliver ; and the thanks of the Society are due to all 

 these gentlemen for their services in this respect. 



Though yoiu' Committee is fully alive to the advantages 

 of lectm-es by professional persons, the expense is a serious 

 consideration, and a siifficient objection, when estimated in 

 reference to the excellent books which the money would enable 

 the Society to add to its Library. And it should be borne in 

 mind that your Committee, while by no means objecting to 

 such lectures, must in the first place consider the funds of the 

 Society, and how they may be most profitably expended ; and 

 that a few detached lectures on detached parts of detached 

 subjects can afford but little knowledge in so wide a field as 

 that of natiu-al science. The real want here seems to be 

 regular and constant instruction, and diffusion of knowledge, 

 by frequent and set meetings for this purpose, when any 

 branch of the extensive subject of natural history may be 

 disciissed, and this with the advantages of an easy intercom- 

 munication of the members, so that the knowledge of the 

 whole may be at the service of any individiial. 



Accordingly your Committee has instituted fortnightly 

 evening meetings, to which the members of the Society and 

 their friends (pi'operly introduced) are invited to bring any 



