Society; and by the death of Dr. Shepperd, of Gateacre, the 

 Society is deprived of one of its founders, and the literary 

 world of an eminent and classical author. 



"For an account of the Literary and Scientific business, the 

 Council refer with pleasure to the volume of Proceedings now 

 in the hands of the members (edited by the President), and 

 the Proceedings of the previous session, printed under the 

 superintendence of Rev. Dr. Hume. The series from the com- 

 mencement (1844-1845) is now complete. 



"The Council beg to congratulate the members on the 

 arrangements entered into with the Committee of the Eoyal 

 Institution, by which free entry to the Museum, &c, is 

 granted to each member of the Society, and permission to use 

 the objects of natural history and science contained in it, for the 

 purpose of illustration. The Council hope that these advan- 

 tages will tend to increase the knowledge, and advance the 

 pursuit of natural history amongst the members. In con- 

 nexion with this subject, the Council regret to state, that the 

 long expected work on the Fauna of the Mersey, by Mr. Price, 

 of Birkenhead, and in aid of which the Society voted a sum of 

 ten guineas, has been necessarily delayed, by the long and 

 serious illness of the author. 



"The Council, in concluding, beg to remind the members, 

 that a gold medal of the value of ten guineas has been voted, 

 during the session, to be presented to the author of the best 

 paper read before the Society during the past and present 

 session." 



The President delivered an Address, in winch he passed 

 an eloquent eulogium on the eminent members the Society 

 had lost since the commencement of last session, and offered 

 several suggestions for the future government of the Society. 



The ballot was then taken for the election of three gentle- 

 men to serve as Vice-Presidents, and six to serve upon the 

 Council. At its conclusion, the Officers of the Society were 

 announced as follows: — 



