REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE. 5 
were in hope that in the course of a few years they might 
get together a rich collection. At present the Society was 
in its infaney, and having, as yet, no fixed locality they 
could not expeet much; but they had already received 
some presents, and many valuable articles had been lent for 
exhibition. He would now call on the Secretary to read 
the report. 
The Rev. T. F. Dyuock then read the following report — 
“ At this first general meeting of the Somersetshire 
Archaeological and Natural History Society, the committee 
have merely to report to the members the steps which have 
been taken, and the progress made toward the establishment 
of the Society. No actual work has yet been publicly 
entered upon; we have found sufficient employment in 
preparing the machinery by means of which we hope, by 
and bye, to explore the treasures of nature and art which 
this couuty contains, and to accumulate a body of facts in 
aid of the studies of the antiquary and natural historian. 
“ Somersetshire presents as good a field for investigation 
as perhaps any county of the same size in England; it has 
the natural advantages of varied soil and surface, and con- 
tains many important remains of mediseval antiquity ; it is 
very desirable that this field should be explored thoroughly 
and systematically, and without further delay, before the 
works of nature or remains of art suffer any further change 
from the progress of eultivation, or through the lapse of 
time. 
“Jt was with some such feelings as these that several 
gentlemen of Taunton and its neighbourhood met together 
in the spring of this year for the purpose of forming your 
society. Our doubt at first was, whether it should be a 
B3 
