the list and allotted a prize for almost every section of the Club's 

 investigations. The result, however, has not been satisfactory, and 

 the Committee regret that so few members availed themselves of 

 the advantages offered. 



At the same time, the number ot competitors for the annual 

 prizes is no indication of the number of really working members, 

 as many who have distinguished themselves by taking prizes on 

 former occasions continue to work effectively in their own depart- 

 ments. 



Mr. William Swanston has been awarded the prize for the best 

 collection of Native Ferns, by Mr. William H. Phillips, and Mr. 

 Samuel A. Stewart, who kindly acted as judges on behalf of the 

 Committee. 



Your Committee are happy to find that the Annual Reports oi 

 the Club aie sought after and apparently valued by a large num- 

 ber of scientific societies in various parts of the world, with whom 

 your Committee encourage an exchange of transactions for mutual 

 advantage. The .names of the societies thus communicated with 

 are appended to this Report. 



The Committee have learned — not without much regret — that a 

 necessity has arisen by which the valuable services of their late 

 President will be lost to the Club. This necessity, however, having 

 resulted from the election of Dr. Thompson to the Chair of Civil 

 Engineering in the University oL Glasgow, his departure from 

 among us, and the regret at the severance of the ties of intimacy, 

 which have so long existed between him and themselves, is con- 

 siderably lessened by the consideration of his deserved promotion 

 to a post of so greatly increased eminence and importance. It 

 is scarcely necessary to add, that their best wishes for his pros- 

 perity and happiness in his new sphere of honour and usefulness 

 accompany their former learned President. 



WILLIAM GRAY, 1 



>• Hon. Sees. 

 HUGH ROBINSON, ) 



