68 
in existence, and months often elapsed before the Society was able to obtain possession — 
of the complete MS. in a fit state to send to the printer. For the last-mentioned 
grievance the Secretary had the remedy in his own hands; and he announced that in 
future no notice whatever, in the Minutes or otherwise, would be taken of any paper 
of which the MS. was not delivered to the Secretary at the time of the author's reading 
or professing to read such paper. 
Report of the Council for 1864. 
In accordance with the Bye-Laws, the Council begs to present to the Society the 
following Report :— 
The valuable donations to the Library have from time to time been announced; 
costly and useful purchases of books have also been made; many volumes have been 
bound; duplicates and other works on subjects entirely disconnected with the objects 
of the Society have been expelled; new shelves have been procured; the whole 
Library has been re-arranged ; and a complete Catalogue thereof has been prepared. 
The 21st Bye-Law provides that “the Transactions shall be published quarterly.” 
The Council has construed this to mean that a Part of the ‘Transactions’ shall 
appear at least as often as once a quarter; for five Parts have been issued during the 
year. Those Parts contain 470 pp. of letter-press, illustrated by 22 plates; accom- 
panied, moreover, by 90 pp. of the ‘Journal of Proceedings ’—an issue unprecedented 
in extent in the history of the Society. It has also been the aim of the Council to 
print with as little delay as possible; the published ‘ Transactions’ for 1864 include 
papers read before the Society down to the month of November inclusive. But 
further, as in 1863 the entire stock of the Second Series was made up into volumes, 
in 1864 the entire stock of the First Series has been rendered saleable: and the 
result is, that, contrary to what has been the case for many years past, all the 
publications of the Society, from its foundation, may now be obtained by those who 
wish to possess them. 
We turn now to the means by which these ends have been accomplished. An 
Abstract of the Treasurer’s Accounts is before you: the receipts and payments for the 
year may also be exhibited in the following form :— 
REcEIPTS. PayMENTS. 
£ £ 
Cash Balance, January 1, 1864 ... 41 | Liabilities, January 1, 1864 seo 
Members’ Contributions ... 124 | Rent, three quarters ... ane 34 
Sale of ‘ Transactions’ .. 70 | Librarian’s Salary bes ve Sas 
Tea Subscriptions opr 8 | Tea, &c., 13 Meetings one 14 
Interest on Consols_ ... .. 3 | Fire Insurance 653 ree 
Sale of duplicate books, &c. 29 | Postage, Stationery, Attendance, } 21 
Special Donations... sales Coals and General Management 
Loan noc oes 45 | Library, Book-cases, &c. seeera8 
First Series of ‘ Transactions’ 73 
Third _,, a ... 182 
Journal of Proceedings “00 13 
£448 £441 
