ANNUAL REPORT OF THE RETIRING COUNCIL. 



In surrendering into the hands of the members the trust reposed in 

 them, the Council congratulate the Society on the progressive advance- 

 ment it has made during its forty-third Session. 



During the past Session the following gentlemen have been added 

 to the list of Ordinary Members, viz. : — Messrs. A. Baldey, J. A. 

 Sommers, J. M. Shain, H. Greenwood, H. H. Pearse, M.D., T. C. 

 Archer, Rev. J. Porter, B.A., T.- McNicholl, Joseph Godden, J. 

 Keates, J. Jones, W. Bennett, W. Rees, W. Lidderdale, R. Gee, M.D., 

 F. D. Fletcher, F. Prange, Rev. W. Banister, B.A., George Melley, 

 J. Rigge, G. W. Bahr, J. B. Aspinall, C. G. Mott, and C. Kirwan ; 

 and to the list of Corresponding Members, the Rev. James Booth, 

 L.L.D., F.R.S., &c., late President of this Society, has been added. 



The Council, with great regret, report the removal by death of Mr. 

 W. B. Falcon, Mr. H. Thoi-pe, and Mr. J. Focke ; also Mr. Charles 

 Barber, President of the Livei-pool Academy, a gentleman who, during 

 a connection of nearly thirty years with this Society, gained alike the 

 respect of its members by his consistent and able support of its objects, 

 and their warm regard, by the manly virtues of his personal character. 



Resignations have been received from Messrs. J. Griraaldi, J. M. 

 Banner, James Dowie, T. Reay, R. Lowndes, C. C. Chambers, 

 Edward Higgin, Edward Banner, T. Avison, Robert Shute, Joseph 

 Boult, and R. G. Williams. 



The names of Messrs. James Harvey, Edward Kemp, and George 

 Padley, have been removed from the list of members under the opera- 

 tion of the second law. 



The Society now numbers 204 members — 137 ordinary, and 67 

 corresponding. 



The following Papers have been read during the Session, many of 

 which will appear in full in the forthcoming volume of Proceedings, 

 namely : — 



" The Geographical Distribution of Testaceous MoUusca in the 

 North-east Atlantic and Neighbouring Seas," by R. McAndrew, Esq., 

 F.R.S., F.L.S., V.P., 



" The most marked Development of the Arts promoted by War," by 

 Joseph Boult, Esq. 



" On Great Circle Sailing," by J. T. Towson, Esq. 



" On English Dialects," by the Rev. Dr. Hume, 



" Critique on the ' Paradise Lost' of Milton," by W. Ihne, Ph.D. 



