Minutes of Proceedings. 263 



appliances, however, needed for illustrations can, most of them, be 

 easily supplied. In these days most societies have their lime-light 

 lantern, and even an electric lantern can be worked with facility from 

 a town supply, and a gas supply for chemical and physical experiments 

 can easily be brought to the table. 



However, it seems likely that the two Societies will still co-exist 

 as scientific institutions. It is not always easy to set right the 

 errors and oversights of our forefathers ; but cannot there be some 

 more concert in their efforts with a view to more effective work '? 



It appears to me that more might be done in this Academy 

 to keep the antiquarian and the scientific side distinct. Two 

 separate series are now in some cases brought out ; but could not 

 more be done to have antiquarian evenings and scientific evenings, 

 though the convenience of authors might still be carefully con- 

 sulted. In a society where a large range of subjects is treated of, 

 there cannot be a general interest. "Where Physics and Physiology 

 may be discussed, the physicists or the physiologists, as the case 

 may be, are unable to follow, fall asleep, or go away ; and the case 

 may be even stronger where so distinct matters as Antiquities and 

 Natural Science are intermingled, though, nevertheless, here there 

 appears generally to be a fair attendance. 



Again, a country member recently drew attention to the inconve- 

 nience arising from the meetings of the Academy and the Dublin 

 Society being on different days. He would like to attend the 

 Academy in the afternoon and the Dublin Society in the evening. 

 As a country member I have much sympathy with his view. 



Having been on the Council of the Academy for several years, I 

 would beg leave further to remark on the inconvenience of the 

 meetings of Council and of the Academy taking place on different 

 days. In the Physical Society of London the Council and the Society 

 meet once a fortnight on the 6Y?we day ; and the Astronomical Society 

 has its monthly councils and general meetings on the same day, and 

 its country members take a large part in its proceedings. 



On the Antiquarian side, it may be worthy of remark that the 

 preparation for the press of the " Annals of Ulster," entrusted to the 

 Academy by the Government, who also provide funds for the purpose, 

 is making satisfactory progress, though slower than had been antici- 

 pated. The Academy will be further glad to know that Miss Stokes 



