14 



years faithfully discharged the duties entrusted to 

 him, died after a few days' illness. After a careful 

 examination into the qualifications of the many can- 

 didates who applied for the vacant office, your Council 

 elected Mr. Batho. 



In conclusion, your Council feel warranted in con- 

 gratulating the Society on its present position and 

 prospects, and look forward to such a larger amount 

 of public support as will enable them, ere long, to 

 maintain a still larger and more varied collection. 



Mr. James Haughton moved the adoption of the Report. 

 The Council had much satisfaction in being able to give so 

 gratifying a report of the present condition of the Society's 

 affairs. It was peculiarly gratifying to find that so large an 

 amount of pleasure and of useful information had been imparted 

 through the instrumentality of the gardens to a number of their 

 fellow-citizens in the humbler walks of life. The Report did not 

 say anything as to what their conduct in the gardens had been 

 during the last year ; but he had no doubt that this deficiency 

 would be supplied before the meeting was over. It was also 

 satisfactory to find that the Society was out of debt. 



Mr. Merriman seconded the resolution. 



The President said that, in reply to the question of Mr. 

 Haughton, he had to state that the conduct of the people in the 

 gardens had been just what it had been for years past, namely, 

 remarkably good. He made this statement as the organ of the 

 Council, and with their unanimous concurrence. During the 

 past year not a single instance of misbehaviour had occurred ; 

 and, if the fact had not been noticed in the Report, the omission 

 was really from a feeling of delicacy towards the people, and a 

 sense that it was not necessary to be always praising them for 

 their good conduct. 



Mr. Haughton observed that the supply of water for the use 

 of the animals was very deficient, and had been since the founda- 

 tion of the gardens. He wished to know could anything be 



