Belfast Natural History Society. 14-y 



BELFAST NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



The newly erected Museum of this Society, in College Square, 

 Belfast, was opened on the 27th of October. On that occasion the 

 following Report of the Council was read by Mr. Getty, one of the 

 Vice-Presidents, 



The Council of the Natural History Society have been directed 

 by their fellow-members to bring forward on the present occa- 

 sion a concise report of their past progress, their present state, 

 and their future prospects ; for the information of those friends by 

 whose aid the present building has been erected. The Natural 

 History Society was first formed at a meeting held in the house of 

 Doctor Drummond, on the 5th of June, 1821. At this time it con- 

 sisted of only eight members, who met at stated periods at the 

 house of Doctor Drummond, under whose care and zeal, as Presi- 

 dent, it has continued gradually to advance ; while the number of 

 members has regularly increased, and now amounts to 91, exclu- 

 sive of those residing in other parts of the kingdom, and in foreign 

 countries. The objects for which they were established, were the cul- 

 tivation of Zoology, Botany, and Mineralogy, in all their branches, 

 and more especially the investigation of the Natural History 

 and Antiquities of Ireland. At first, as might be expected, the 

 papers read consisted of little else than compilations from authors 

 of established character, and of discussions and inquiries arising out 

 of the matter thus brought forward. It was not until a more ad- 

 vanced state of existence, that original information was introduced, 

 except that communicated by their President Dr. Drummond. The 

 Council dwell with pleasure on the unassuming commencement 

 thus made, in hopes that the friends of science in other parts may 

 be encouraged to begin a similar career, although their numbers 

 may be small, and their knowledge circumscribed. On the 16th of 

 October, 1822, as Dr. Drummond was then removing from the 

 house he had been occupying, application was made to the mana- 

 gers and visitors of the College, for permission to hold the future 

 meetings of the Society in one of the Class-rooms. This was 

 granted in the kindest manner ; and for twelve months the meet- 

 ings were accordingly held in that place. During that time, how- 

 ever, many donations of specimens had been received, suitable to a 

 Museum, and the number of members belonging to the Society had 

 considerably increased. Accordingly, on the J 2th of November 

 182fJ, they removed once more, and rented as a Museum and a Meet- 

 ing-room two small apartments in the Commercial Buildings. Here 

 their progress was in every respect most gratifying; but at length 

 they began to experience inconvenience both from the smallness of 

 their .Meeting-room, and the over-crowded state of their Museum. 

 The inconvenience increased as the collection of their specimens 

 was augmented, until they were obliged to look around them for 

 larger and more commodious apartments. They were unable to 

 meet such as in every respect they wished to have, and at length 



they 



