REPORT OF COUNCIL. 95 



vember last was given in the preceding Part of the Proceedings. Those 

 received during the past Session will, as heretofore, be duly enumerated 

 in the Appendix to the forthcoming Part. 



" Your Council would reiterate the wish that more original contri- 

 butions from observers, even though not Members, should find their 

 way to this Society ; and it is believed that vigorous efforts should be 

 made to devote as much of the funds of the Society as possible to bring- 

 ing out the Journal in a complete and creditable manner, not only as 

 regards printing and extent, but also as regards illustrations. Your 

 Council would wish to see our Journal the creditably got up, efficiently 

 illustrated, well-filled, and widely-circulated common embodiment of 

 all the labours of observers in the varied fields of Natural History in 

 Ireland — the general medium for the diffusion of the result of the united 

 labours of Irish naturalists. This is ' a consummation devoutly to be 

 wished.' Is it not one quite feasible, and capable of realization? 

 There does not seem any reason why the Society should not number two 

 or three hundred on its roll. If it did so, then it would be sufficiently 

 easy to answer the query just propounded in the affirmative. 



" The Museum last year received a few accessions, and still remains 

 in your Treasurer's charge. 



" The state of the funds of the Society will appear from the Trea- 

 surer's Eeport. 



" The Meetings, as of late years, have been held in the Eoyal Irish 

 Academy House, by kind permission of its Council ; and for this kind 

 accommodation, as heretofore, the best thanks of this Society are due. 



" And so, with the end of the old, begin we to-night a new Session. 

 May the coming one lack none of the activity and diligence of its pre- 

 decessors, but rather may every succeeding annual review of the state 

 and doings of our Society be capable of being truly, if briefly, summa- 

 rized in the words, ' Yires acquirit eundo !' " 



On the motion of the Eev. Eugene O'Meara, seconded by Mr. Ma- 

 ziere Johnston, the foregoing Eeport was unanimously adopted. 



The Treasurer then read his Eeport, showing a considerable balance 

 in favour of the Society. 



Mr. George Dixon and Mr. J. J. Lawlor were appointed Auditors 

 to examine the accounts. 



The Ballot was then declared closed, whereupon 



Mr. Archer, one of the Honorary Secretaries, presented a large 

 number of donations of the publications of English and foreign Scienti- 

 fic Societies, received in exchange ; and the best thanks of the Society — 

 proposed by Dr. J. Barker, and seconded by Mr. Dawson — were voted 

 to the several donors. 



On the motion of Mr. E. P. Williams, seconded by the Eev. Eugene 

 O'Meara, the thanks of the Society were unanimously voted to the 

 Council of the Eoyal Irish Academy for the kind permission accorded to 

 this Society to hold its meetings in the Academy House. 



