185 



Mr. "W. E. PiCKELS suggested that in inaugurating this sec- 

 tion of the Society a conversazione should be held in one o£ 

 the rooms of the Town Hall, and that Professor Tate might 

 elucidate to probable members the objects of the section. 



The matter was, after discussion, referred to the Council. 



ANNUAL REPORT. 



The Hon. Secketart read the annual report as follows : — 



The Council has again the pleasure of giving a favourable report of the 

 past year's work, and of the general condition of the Society. The mem- 

 bership of the Society has increased during the year from 123 to 149. The 

 increase is almost exclusively in the class of Fellows, namely, 27, there 

 being the Corresponding Member and the Associate elected in addition. 

 Death has removed three Fellows, viz., William Goss, M.D., F.R.C.S. Eng., 

 who was present at the first meeting when the Society was founded, and was 

 the last but one representative ; and George Hamilton and R. G. Thomas, who 

 had been members of the Society since 1868 and 1877 respectively. The 

 Natural History exhibits have been numerous and interesting. In connec- 

 tion with this the Council, in carrying out a resolution passed at a general 

 meeting, arranged for the holding of informal meetings on the third 

 Tuesday of each month. It was hoped that this might induce the members 

 to come forward with exhibits, to compare notes, or to seek for information 

 on any particular matter that might interest them, which they could not so 

 very well do at the more formal meeting. Up to the present time the 

 attendance has been small, and has consisted of an enthusiastic few, whose 

 example, it is to be hoped, may he increasingly followed as time goes on. 



The subscriptions to the Darwin Memorial Fund from the members of the 

 Eoyal Society amounted to £21 9s. The expenses for advertising, postages, 

 bank-draft, &c,, &c., came to £3 12s., leaving a balance of £17 17s. ; which 

 was duly forwarded, and the receipt of which was acknowledged January 

 16, i883. 



Another new departure contemplated is the formation of a section for the 

 more especial study of Natural History in the field. The Council has 

 drafted suitable rules to define its connection with the parent Society, and 

 hopes that these will receive confirmation at the present annual meeting. 

 To make the proposed section as popularly and publicly useful as possible, 

 it is intended to allow persons not wishing to become members of the Eoyal 

 Society to join the section only, and by a moderate subscription obtain 

 certain collateral advantages. Arrangements have also been made for 

 giving greater facilities for borrowing books from the library of the Society. 

 For this purpose the Council has drawn up a set of rules to regulate the 

 removal and return of books. These have been adopted at a general 

 meeting, and now await the confirmation of this annual meeting. Among 

 the additions presented to the library during the past year are some valuable 

 illustrated works, such as the records of the " Norwegian North Atlantic 

 Expedition," the "Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Geology, 

 Harvard." 



Mr. Chapple, B.A., B.Sc, moved the adoption of the re]3ort, 

 and suggested that the Darwin Eund and the list of papers 

 read during the year should be added to the report. Mr. W. 

 EuTT seconded, and the motion was carried. 



The balance-sheet showed that the receipts for the year, with 

 balance brought forward, amounted to £416 14s. 5d., while the 



