4 REPORT OF THE COUNCIL 



otherwise too long to have been accepted for printing at 

 present. A suggestion to which the Council gave their 

 approval some years ago — that a general index of the last 

 series of Transactions should be prepared — is now, they are 

 glad to see, being carried into effect. A number of members 

 have kindly given their help, and the entries for most of 

 the individual volumes are now in hand. 



The usual series of winter lectures and "talks" and of 

 summer field meetings have been arranged and held. A list 

 of the lectures and " talks " appears in an appendix, and the 

 field meetings will be reported upon by the chairman of the 

 field section. The average attendance at the evening lectures 

 was 85 ; at the children's lectures 164; at the curator's "talks" 

 53. To the gentlemen who gave their services as lecturers 

 the Council accord their best thanks. They are especially 

 indebted to Prof. Meek, who, almost at a moment's notice, 

 took the place of a lecturer who was prevented from keeping 

 his appointment. 



The Hancock Prize Competition for 1909 was notable for 

 the fact that in addition to the usual prize there were second 

 and third prizes offered, and also a junior prize for com- 

 petitors under sixteen years of age. The money for these prizes 

 was given by the late Mr. Crawhall shortly before his death. 

 Prof. G. S. Brady and Prof. A. Meek kindly acted as 

 examiners, and they were advised in the case of the geological 

 essays by Prof. G. A. Lebour. The awards were as follows : — 

 First prize, Mr. Chas. Robson (Birtley); second prize, Mr. H. 

 Jeffreys (Birtley); third prize, Mr. J. M. Taylor (Blackhill); 

 junior prize, Clifford Rowell (Newcastle). Eighteen essays 

 were sent in for the competition proper, and thirteen in the 

 junior section. 



On the death of King Edward VII. an address of con- 

 dolence and loyalty was sent on behalf of the Society to 

 the new King, George V., and this has been graciously 

 acknowledged. Reference was made in it to the fact that it 

 was the late King himself, as Prince of Wales, who opened 

 the Museum twenty-six years ago. 



