425 
and important discoveries? Ido not lose sight of the fact that the 
regal structures which once stood there were of perishable materials ; 
nevertheless, I am sanguine enough to wish to see the exploration at- 
tempted. In connexion with this matter, let me note a desideratum 
which we ought to be on the watch to supply. For ethnological pur- 
poses, it isof great moment that we should be possessed of a collection of 
undoubtedly ancient Irish crania. To have two or three is not enough; 
we ought to have several, in order to be able to draw safe conclusions 
with respect to the typical form or forms which characterise them. If 
our legends relating to the early inhabitants of Ireland be not abso- 
lutely fictions, we may yet hope to find in our ancient places of sepul- 
ture confirmation of the long-received accounts of Firbolgs, Tuatha De 
Danann, Fomorians, and Scoti. 
In addition to its Museum, the Academy possesses the appliance 
of a library, from the use of which many of us have derived great 
advantages. I believe those libraries are most useful whose rules 
permit the loan of books to the readers. The student often wishes 
to carry on his reading at hours when libraries are closed. It is 
also convenient to him to be surrounded by his own books, the tools 
with which use has made him familiar. I rejoice, therefore, that we 
are permitted to exercise the privilege of borrowing books from the 
library. It will be found necessary, however, I apprehend, to impose 
some additional restrictions upon the loan of books which from their 
extreme rarity, or for other reasons, deserve to be placed on the same 
footing as our MSS. To regulations having this object in view, I trust, 
our members will submit without dissatisfaction. I must here express 
my regret that our library is not provided with such catalogues as we 
might desire to possess. The zeal and bibliographical knowledge of 
our newly-appointed librarian give us reason to count upon many im- 
provements in the department over which he presides. Perhaps one of 
the first services which he will render us will be to supply information 
fuller and more exact than we now have as to the contents of our library. 
I doubt whether the catalogue of the printed books is quite complete ; 
but I am sure that we have no perfect list of our MSS., much less have 
we.an adequate enumeration of their contents. In the case of one class 
of MSS. this may be readily accounted for, though the fact is much to 
be regretted. The full and instructive catalogue of our Irish MSS., 
commenced by Mr. Eugene Curry, was a laborious work, requiring a 
considerable expenditure of time and research. To complete it upon 
the plan originally adopted, and to include in it descriptive notices of 
the Betham MSS., and others which have been since acquired, would 
be quite indispensable, if we wished to make our MSS. as available as 
they ought to be, for the benefit of persons consulting them. But the 
labour required for the completion of this work must be remunerated 
out of funds much ampler than what are now at the disposal of our 
library committee. This is a question, the further consideration of 
which I must leave to them. It is enough for me here to draw the at- 
R. I, A. PROC.—YOL, VII. 30 
