Minnies of Proceedings. 29-3 



Avay, and he had practically to suspend his labours. The Council 

 have taken steps to secure regular progress in the work on ITr. Hen- 

 nessy's recovery, and trust that no further delay will occur. 



The ITuseum has been enriched with some valuable donations during 

 the past year ; and there have been purchased various implements 

 of flint and bronze, together wdth two fine lunulse of gold, recently 

 found in the IS'orth of Ireland. The attention of the Council having 

 been called to the sale of the Pountaine Collection of Antiquities, 

 they drew up a memorial, which they forwarded to his Excellency the 

 Lord Lieutenant, pointing out the desirability of securing for Ireland 

 one of the most valuable objects in this art collection, viz. the bronze 

 Eeliquary of St. Lachtin, and of depositing it in the Museum of the 

 Academy, where it might take its place along with other similar 

 objects. 



The Council are glad to state that their representations on the 

 matter met with a favoui'able reception by the Grovernment, who gave 

 instructions for the Eeliquary to be sent from the South Kensington 

 Museum to the Academy, where it is now deposited in the strong 

 room of the Museum. 



The Eeport was adopted. 



The President then presented a Cunningham Gold Medal to Pro- 

 fessor John C. Malet, f.e.s., for his researches in Elliptic Functions. 



The President said : — 



Peofessor Johs" Cheistiai^ Malet, 



The Council of the Poyal Irish Academy has awarded you its 

 Cunningham Medal in recognition of your services to Science in that 

 department of pure Mathematics known as the Abelian Functions. 

 The field in which you have prosecuted these labours is one open only 

 to minds specially trained in the advanced methods of mathematical 

 investigation, and explorable only by intuitive as well as trained 

 mathematical genius. Long before ordinary intelligences can reach 

 these altitudes, the wings of the conceptive faculty droop, and they 

 find themselves, as I do, gazing upward at a flight which they may 

 admire but cannot accompany. !N'ot so the illustrious mathematicians 

 whose presence gives its just scientific weight and distinction to this 

 occasion. They have followed you to the bounds of your researches, 

 and grasp, with a fuller apprehension than I can do, all the additions 



