8 



"wbo had done so much to keep up the society, left Folkestone, much 

 ito the regret of Folkestone naturalists. 



In 1872, I find 170 members enrolled. At a committee meeting 

 in August, 1872, the formation of Science Classes in Folkestone, in 

 connection with the Department of Science and Art was discussed, 

 ■and considered advisable and desirable, and the secretary was 

 requested to communicate with the department, and also with the 

 Mayor with a view to callicg a public meeting. This public meeting 

 was held on October 2nd, 1872, and classes were formed. 



Nothing else of great public importance occurred until January 

 17th, 1882, when the following resolu ion was passed: " That a 

 memorial to the Town Council be drawn up, praying them to take 

 Such measures as shall seem fit to them towards securing a portion 

 •of the site occupied by the King's Arms, &c., for a Museum, Read- 

 ing Room, and School of Science and Art, and that the Committees 

 ■of the Natural History Society and the School of Science be asked 

 to sign the same officially." The Secretary, in proposing the 

 resolution, said he hoped the members would support it, and 

 though the request to the Corporation might not be granted at 

 iirst, yet, as in the case of the Free Library, it would prepare the 

 "Way for it when it was brought forward again. In February, 1884, 

 I find Mr. Walton referring to the necessity of an extension of 

 jpractical personal work among the members, so that the lists of 

 local productions might be made more complete. 



At a committee meeting in December, 1885, it was resolved that 

 papers on literary subjects might be read at the meetings of the 

 •society. 



The next most important matter was the first meeting of the 

 society in the new Museum on Grace Hill, which occurred on 

 'Tuesday, May 15th, 1888, and to^k the form of a conversazione, 

 •with music, and was in every way a great success. 



On November 11th, 1890, the first combined meeting of the 

 Natural History and Microscopic Societies was held, and the 

 societies were amalgamated in March, 1802, and some alterations 

 made in the rules. At this same meeting Dr. FitzQerald resigned 

 the presidency, and was made Honorary President, the society 

 remaining for a year without any acting President. 



Thus in the past the society has striven to increase the love for 

 natural history and the knowledge and interest therein, by field 

 days, when papers have been read bearing on the geology or botany 

 of the locality, by lectnres of all kinds and on all subjects to the 

 members of the society and to the public, free or at a small cost ; 

 by conversaziones held on the same lines, some for the society only, 

 others for the public as well, when specimens of all kinds, living 

 and dead, macroscopic and microscopic, have been exhibited. The 

 joublications have been printed with the same object, but I fear have 



