12 



carried, subject to a second vote at an extraordinary meeting following: 

 — " That the annual subscription be raised to one guinea ; that until 

 Januarj', 185G, members may compound for all future payments by 

 making one payment of £5 5s. exclusive of entrance fee ; but that 

 after that period the life composition shall be i'lO 10s. including tlie 

 entrance fee paid by new members :" and " That the list of Correspond- 

 ing Members be limited to fifty. " 



Annual Eeport. 

 Your Society has lost from death and other causes ten Ordinary and 

 two Corresponding jVIembers, viz. : Dr. Macrorie, Messrs. Cauty, Enoch 

 Harvey, AspinaU, Baldy, S. Higgins, J. Keates, F. Thornley, W. 

 Jevons, Dr. Balman. It has enrolled twenty-two new Ordinary mem- 

 bers, viz. : Messrs. Charles Holland, John Hunter, Edward Bretherton, 

 Henry W. Slack, Samuel H. Thompson, Alexander MTlveen, Dr. 

 Mitchell, Messrs. Charles Millward, G. H. Puckle, M.A., Rev. H. 

 Griffiths, Messrs. John Andrew, John Roberts, James F. Brockhoies, 

 George H. Morton, George Atkin, James Hakes, A. Fiulayson, John 

 Wybergh, jun., Frederick Potts, Dr. J. S. Taylor, Messrs. Alfred 

 King, and J. F. Foard. 



The members enrolled at the present time are one hundred and forty- 

 eight Ordiuaiy and forty-five Cori'esponding. 



Early in the session your Society had to mourn the loss of that 

 distinguislied naturalist. Professor Edward Forbes, whose unexpected 

 death filled us with the profoundest grief ; now you have to lament the 

 loss of Dr. George Johnston, of Berwick-upon-Tweed, from the list of 

 Corresponding Members. His warm attachment to natural history 

 pursuits, and the valuable aid rendered by his writings, make his 

 death a subject of deep regret to the scientific world generally, while 

 this Society has to deplore, in the event, the removal of one who 

 evinced a lively interest in its welfare. 



The reduction of the list of Corresponding Members, made during 

 the past session, leads your Council to recommend that the number 

 should be limited to fifty ; and you will be called upon to deliberate on 

 this question. 



The accession of new members has been accompanied by increased 

 interest in the proceedings of your Society generally, as has been 

 evinced by expressions from without, as well as by numerously- 

 attended meetings. 



Your Council have the gratification of reporting, that the ninth 

 volume of " Proceedings " is already in the hands of members. Early 

 in the same session the eighth volume was issued, and your Council 



