xd National Geographic Magazine. 
Owing to this change, the period now under review covers the 
interval from January 1, 1894, to date, but for comparison with 
future seasons, and as a just indication of what may fairly be 
expected during each coming season, it is of interest to review 
some of the principal features of our operations during the period 
from October last up to the present time. 
During this season we have had 17 regular meetings and 28 
special meetings, the latter including the reception, field meet- 
ing, and joint meeting of the Scientific Societies, making a total 
of 45 meetings, with 75 speakers. The average attendance at 
the regular or technical meetings (held for the most part in the 
Assembly Hall of the Cosmos Club) has been 170, and at the 
special or popular meetings (in National Rifles’ Hall), 777. As 
a comparative measure of the Society’s activity it need only be 
added that in 1890 there were but 17 meetings held altogether, 
with far smaller average attendance. 
Especial interest has been shown in a course of illustrated 
afternoon lectures descriptive of a trip across the continent and 
back again, each lecture by two speakers who took up the 
thread of the story, in turn, and described in a popular way, 
and with a very fine series of lantern illustrations, the geography 
and most striking natural and artificial features of the region 
traversed. Each speaker was a recognized authority regarding 
his portion of the route, and the course proved to be a brilliant 
and gratifying success—so much so, in fact, that a similar course 
will undoubtedly be a feature of each of our coming seasons. 
The accompanying calendar gives a brief but complete résumé 
of the entire series of lectures, so that but little more need be said. 
Reference should be made, however, to the very successful recep- 
tion at The Arlington the evening of March 20th, and the excur- 
sion to Fredericksburg, Va., on May 4th, where:a field-meeting 
was held and the day passed amidst scenes of great natural 
beauty as well as of great geographic and historic interest. None 
of the expense of the reception or excursion was charged to the 
Society’s treasury, but those who participated paid the entire 
cost, which was, of course, comparatively small, by reason of 
the excellent management by the committees and the facilities 
secured by the organization of the Society. 
Mention should be made of a lecture delivered under the au- 
spices of the Society by Mrs Robert EK. Peary, in aid of the fund 
to equip an expedition to bring her husband, the distinguished 
