REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE. 1 53 



and upkeep of the Museum, and is quite inadequate for the 

 extension of the work of the Society, and for the purchase of 

 additional specimens, &c., so highly desirable to fill up gaps 

 in their collections. The Society also possesses a large and 

 valuable library of which a very considerable portion remains 

 unbound, and your Committee feel it to be of the utmost 

 importance to undertake this work at an early date. 



The Hancock Prize last year was awarded to Mr. T. W. 

 Fawcett, and on the recommendation of the Examiners a 

 second prize was given to Mr. D. Rosie. 



During the past year the Society has become a Corres- 

 ponding Society of the British Association. 



Six Evening Meetings were arranged during the course of 

 the winter, and interesting papers were contributed which 

 were of special value as bearing upon the natural history of 

 the district : — 



October 30th. — On the Mysidae collected at CuUercoats, 



by Mr. A. Meek, M. Sc. 

 November 27th. — Observations on the Birds of the 



Solway, by Mr. R. Ellison. 

 January 30th. — Meteorites, by the Rev. A. W. Watts. 

 February 27th. — Notes on the Sphyngidse, by Mr. R. 



Robson. 

 March 27th. — Notes on the Larvae collected during the 



summer, by Mr. D. Rosie. 

 April 24th. — Reading of the Hancock Essays. 

 The meeting arranged for January 30th was postponed on 

 account of the death of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. It 

 is satisfactory to note that there was throughout a good 

 attendance, giving evidence of sustained interest in the 

 meetings. The plan of throwing them open to non-members 

 on payment of the ordinary admission fee proved a successful 

 innovation. 



As in previous years, the Society is indebted to a number 

 of members and friends for the gift of specimens and books. 

 A full Hst of donations, and also of the publications acquired 

 by exchange, will be found appended to this report when it is 



