644 



the objects of the Section. No scientific qualification was 

 demanded from intending members. The Field Naturalists' 

 Section certainly met a public want, and has had a vigorous 

 existence for about forty years. 



Its success led to the establishment of other Sections, 

 such, for instance, as the Microscopical, the Malacological, 

 etc., none of which, however, have survived. 



(d) The Society's Library. 



It does not appear necessary to treat in detail the later 

 developments and activities of the Society, for they are 

 permanently embodied in its Transactions and are compara- 

 tively modern history. 



As the years passed the number of foreign exchanges was 

 ever on the increase, until the library began to assume 

 formidable proportions. As the room was small, and the 

 shelving ludicrously inadequate, it became necessary to stack 

 many of the books on top of each other, so that they were 

 quite inaccessible for consultation by the Fellows. Frequent- 

 references are to be found in the annual reports in regard to 

 this matter. In 1890 it is stated: ''The Council is far from 

 satisfied with the present conditions under which the books 

 of the library have to be kept. It had been hoped that by 

 this time arrangements might have been made to have them 

 so placed in some portion of the Public Library that members 

 could have access to' them at any time during the day. It 

 feels that the present unsatisfactory condition cannot be 

 allowed to continue, but that every effort must be made to 

 place at the disposal of the Fellows the library in a more 

 efficient way." 



The next annual report shows, that during the year 

 increased shelving accommodation had been provided, and that 

 the books had been arranged in easily accessible positions. This 

 report adds, that in order to make the library still more 

 comprehensive and complete, the Council had put itself int-o 

 communication with a number of American and European 

 scientific societies, whose publications had been solicited in 

 exchange for our own. 



Some ten years later it is announced, that ''donations 

 from scientific bodies have so largely increased of late, that 

 the possibility of making the vast amount of material avail- 

 able becomes a very urgent que'stion." 



Accordingly a card catalogue was prepared, and this 

 brought to light many breaks and irregularities in the sets 

 of serial literature. A Committee was now appointed to 

 inquire into the whole question of the library and its arrange- 

 ment. Tliis Committee came to the conclusion that the only 



