Report, 1846. 39 



the Gardens a still greater place of resort to pedestrians 

 than they have yet been. 



'The Council, desirous of promoting a taste for 

 Zoology among Naval and Military Officers, who have 

 ample opportunities for its cultivation, had pleasure in 

 offering free admission to the Officers of the Staff and 

 Garrison to the promenades of last year. 



'The evening meetings of the Society have been well 

 attended by an average class of about 400 persons. This 

 large number proves the value of the lectures given and 

 must much conduce to the spread of natural science. 



" With respect to the privileges which have been 

 conceded to the members and subscribers of the Society, 

 your Council would remark (as there seems to be some 

 misunderstanding on the subject) that they are now much 

 greater than was the original design of the Society when 

 a personal admission with two friends on ordinary days 

 was all that the law of the Society allowed, while all 

 privileges were suspended on the occasion of promenades 

 or lectures and members paid for admission like other 

 individuals, whatever the Council pleased to name, 

 usually 2s. 6d. for each promenade or lecture. For the 

 last few years members have received two tickets, trans- 

 ferable for each lecture and promenade, and the privilege 

 of admission to the Gardens on ordinary days may now 

 be exercised by the wives of members, and members are 

 permitted to bring in all their children under 12 years of 

 age, instead of two, as at first contemplated. The 

 Council, therefore, cannot but feel that the privileges thus 

 granted to members of the Society and subscribers, which 

 they know are greater than those conceded to the 

 members of other scientific Societies, will, upon considera- 

 tion, be thought sufficient. 



'The only restrictions the Council have desired to 

 impose are those absolutely necessary for raising funds 

 for the support of the Institution ; a necessity sufficiently 

 obvious, however much to be regretted. 



'The Council have to reiterate the claim of their 

 predecessors to public support for the Society, on the 

 ground of its aid to the students in drawing and sculpture, 

 who were freely admitted during the past year. Evidence 

 was given by many productions that this privilege was 

 properly taken advantage of, and your Council had much 

 pleasure in awarding a premium to Master Annesley 



