96 ANNTJAL GENEBAIi MEETINa. 



Museum would be more practically useful if lectures explanatory 

 of their contents could be delivered by competent persons. The 

 number of visitors during the past year was 2804 ; these numbers 

 compare favourably with those of past years, evincing that the 

 public interest in the collection is well maintained. 



Monthly Meetings were again held during the winter, 

 when papers of much interest were read. It is intended to 

 resume these meetings in the coming month ; and promises of 

 assistance have already been given by Mr. H. M. Jeffery, 

 F.E.S., Canon Moor, Eevd. A. Malan, and Mr. Howard Fox. 



Since the last report the library has engaged much of the 

 attention of the council ; and the binding of the several numbers 

 of periodicals of the different societies, which had fallen into 

 arrear, has been nearly completed. The library, including the 

 transactions of various societies which exchange publications 

 with our own society, as well as scientific and archaeological 

 publications, forms a valuable collection available to members 

 for reference. A recent notable addition to the library is a set 

 of the Memoirs, comprising 47 large quarto volumes of the 

 Royal Astronomical Society. This Institution feel they are 

 indebted to the kind offices of Mr. Edwin Dunkin, F.E.S., and 

 late President of the Eoyal Astronomical Society, for this 

 valuable gift, which is one rarely accorded to provincial societies, 

 being reserved for Foreign Governments and State Observatories. 



It may be mentioned here also, that a grant of upwards of 

 100 volumes from the Public Record Office has been made, 

 comprising Calendars of State Papers, ranging from 1547 to 

 1667, and other publications, forming a very valuable acquisition, 

 and one which will be of great assistance to the student in his 

 historical researches. On the table in the outer room are to be 

 found the current numbers of scientific and archseological 

 periodicals; and on Monday evenings, these rooms are in 

 winter warmed and kept open until 10 p.m., with a view to 

 more convenient inspection and to intercourse among the 

 members. In the library a new catalogue has been completed, 

 which had been long desired, under the direction and supervision 

 of Canon Moor, to whom this Institution is indebted in many 

 ways. The catalogue has already facilitated the researches of 

 our members. 



