TWENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT 



OF THE 



BIRMINGHAM 



NATURAL HISTORY AND MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY, 



READ AT THE 



ANNUAL MEETING, HELD FEBRUARY 7th, 1882. 



The Committee have to record a year of quiet progress. 

 The use made by the members of the advantages which the 

 Society now offers is on the whole satisfactory. The change 

 which is most felt and most appreciated is the power of 

 obtaining access to the Society's library and apparatus every 

 day. Many members value highly the increased opportunities 

 of holding friendly converse, and of introducing friends and 

 visitors fi'om a distance, which are thus afforded them. 



The Friday evening meetings, which were begun at the 

 end of the year 1880 for the purpose of affording a means 

 whereby instruction in the elementary branches of science and 

 in practical microscopical manipulation might be provided for 

 the younger members, were continued throughout the working 

 portion of last year, and gave every satisfaction to those who 

 attended them. The Committee feel it their duty to say that 

 the usefulness both of these meetings and of the daily opening 

 of the Society's room is owing in great measure to the kind and 

 genial services of the Sub-Curator, Mr. W. H. Cox. 



The annual Conversazione was again held in the Town 

 Hall last year and was thoroughly successful, being the most 

 complete exhibition of Microscopical and Natural History- 

 objects which the Society has ever been able to get together. 



