specimens of natiu-al histoiy objects, eithei- for tlie purpose of 

 impavtinof or acquiring information thereon ; when any mem- 

 ber can offer either oral or vnitten information, siich as short 

 lectures or obsei-vations, and formal papers suited to the pur- 

 pose, besides the explanatory remarks which the occasion is 

 likely to bring forth. Thiis this kind of intercoiirse will be 

 more or less easy and profitable ; and, from the trial already 

 made in this way, your Committee is disposed to anticipate 

 good effects from it in future, especially when the design has 

 been more fully carried out iinder the care of the newly-elected 

 President, and with the valuable aid so liberally afforded by 

 Colonel Cox, Colonel Horsley, Mr. Haiwey, Mr. FuUagar, and 

 Mr. Bell, of their microscopes. Whether classes "for instruc- 

 tion at Canterbury in one or other branch of natural history 

 might not be foi-med with advantage may become a question. 

 In the kindred Society at Folkestone such classes have proved 

 useful, and that on botany for ladies, under the care of the 

 Rev. Charles L. Acland, a complete and gratifying success ; 

 .while the liberal and .-judicioiis transfer there of the Town 

 Museum to the Natural History Society is likely, in many 

 points, and especially by i^romoting the cause of natural 

 science in the district, to shew the utility and true objects of 

 a local Museum. 



On the whole siibject of Excursions, your Committee 

 ventures to hope that the fortnightly meetings, already ex- 

 plained, will prove fuj-ther useful, by inducing Members and 

 their friends to make frequent exijlorations of the district, and 

 lay the results before the Meetings ; and this rather prompted 

 by a general increase of interest and zeal among the Members 

 than by any particular attempts at " organizations" of Excui'- 

 sions by the Committee. 



Tour Committee has already given short reports, such as 

 appear suited as local news, of the evening Meetings, and 

 recommend that similar reports be continued, and stops taken 

 to have them inserted, for tlic information of Members and 

 others, in the Canterbury and Dover newspapers. Ami this, 

 it is presumed, might Ik- done by requesting the editor to whom 

 the original manuscript report is sent to foi-ward printed slips 

 of it accordingly. 



As regiirds lady Members, your Committee recommends 

 that they should l)e eligil)le to sci-ve on the Committee. 



Your Committee has t<j call attention to the list of 



