xiv President's AdAress 



the earlier papers contributed during our present session 

 are printed and distributed, and the rest in the printer's 

 hands. 



The building and grounds of the Society are in a much 

 better condition than has been the case for some years past. 

 The repairs to the fencing, and the growth of the trees, with 

 the periodical attention given to the ground generally, have 

 much improved the aspect of aifairs. The interior of the 

 building is in a good state of repair, but the appearance of 

 the exterior is exceeding^ unsightly. The necessity of 

 getting it stuccoed has been constantly under the notice of 

 the Council, but hitherto the state of the finances has not 

 been such as to warrant it in making the necessary expendi- 

 ture, more especially as they had the assurance of the 

 architect that the building would not suffer for want of 

 stuccoing for some time to come. The Council are of 

 opinion, however^ that if for no other reason than appear- 

 ance sake, it is highly desirable to get this work done as 

 soon as the funds will admit. 



Leaving the more domestic afiairs of the Society, I wish 

 now to call your attention to some of the noteworthy facts 

 connected with the past year's history of scientific progress. 

 In Astronomy there appears little of more than passing 

 interest to arrest our attention ; it almost seems as if a lull 

 had fallen on this department of science after the unusual 

 activity caused by the transit of Venus in December, 1874. 

 This is apparent only, for nearly all the national observa- 

 tories have been busily engaged, each in its own particular 

 direction. This is true also as regards our own observatory, 

 for while I have nothing sensational to refer to, our principal 

 work — determination of the positions of stars, and the 

 revision of Sir John Herschel's nebulae with the great tele- 

 scope — has gone on without intermission. Our great tele- 

 scope has new rivals vying with it in probing the great 



