A Note on the History of the Statutes. 511 



Ann. 1776. In 1776 the mention o f titled persons is omitted, and the 

 Statute simply provides for "strangers" being present. 



Ann 17R4 Some jeaTS ^^ viz '' in 1784 > a uew section waa added 

 to Cap. XI. as follows :_ 



" VI. That the meetings of the Society may not be wasted by 

 unprofitable debates, contrary to the intent and meaning of the fifth 

 section of this chapter, it is constituted, established, and ordained, 

 that every motion or question, proposed to be ballotted for by the 

 Society, shall be fairly transcribed on paper, and being signed by six or 

 more Fellows of the Society, it shall be by them delivered to one of 

 the Secretaries at a meeting of the Society ; and shall thereupon be 

 read immediately after the declaration of the Presents on the table ; 

 and after being marked by the Secretary with the date of the day 

 when delivered, it shall be fixed up in the common Meeting-room of 

 the Society at the next ordinary Meeting ; and on the Meeting next 

 following the same, it shall be put to the Ballot, unless those who 

 have signed it agree to withdraw it. 



" But nothing contained in this Statute is to be construed to extend 

 to matters relative to elections, or the ordinary business of the 

 Society." 



The motions or questions proposed to be " ballotted for " must 

 therefore have had reference to matters of science. 



Publications, Records, and Library. 



In Cap. XII., the quorum of the Committee of Papers is 



raised from five to seven, and the part of the Statute 

 providing that there should be no entry of rejected papers is omitted. 



In Cap. XIII., "Of the Manner of Publication of the 

 Ann. 1776. p a p erg j^ before the Society," the word " Librarian " 

 is substituted for that of " Clerk " ; also the period during which 

 surplus copies not required by Fellows must remain before they are 

 disposed of by the Council, is extended from one year (as in 1752) to 

 five years. 



Cap. XIV., " Of the Books and Papers of the Society," 

 Ann. 1776. differg somew hat from the corresponding Cap. XVI., "Of 

 the Books of the Society," in the Statutes of 1752. The copy of 

 'Statutes, the List of Benefactors, and the Register of Fellows is 

 omitted from the Charter Book.* The Statute concerning the Register 



* The Charter Book never did contain, as provided by the Statute, the Kegister 

 of Fellows, but only their signatures. The Society possesses, however, a volume 

 now called " The Eegister," which contains the names, with dates of election, of 

 all the Fellows from the foundation of the Society up to the year 1875. Since that 

 date the Register is continued in a second volume. 



VOL. L. 2 X 



