458 



been read. If a Paper be not read^ it shall be returned to the 

 author; and if a Paper be not published within a reasonable 

 time after having been read, the author shall be entitled himself 

 to publish it^ and he may borrow it for that purpose. 



2. When a Paper is sent to the Society for the purpose of 

 being read, it shall be laid before the Council, who shall refer 

 it to two of that body, or of the other Members or Asso- 

 ciates of the Society whom they may select, for their opinions 

 as to the character of the Paper and its fitness or otherwise for 

 being read before the Society, which they shall state as briefly 

 as may be, in writing, along with the grounds of their re- 

 spective opinions. Should one of such opinions be adverse to 

 the Paper and against its being read before the Society, then 

 it shall be referred to some other referee, who is unaware of the 

 opinion already pronounced upon the Paper_, in order that he 

 may state his opinion upon it in like manner. Should this 

 opinion be adverse to the Paper, the Council shall then consult 

 and decide vrhether the Paper shall be rejected or read; and, if 

 rejected, the Paper shall be returned to the author with an in- 

 timation of the purport of the adverse opinions which have been 

 given with respect to it; but the names of the referees are not 

 to be communicated to him, unless with their consent, or by 

 order of the Council. All such references and communications 

 are to be regarded as confidential, except in so far as the 

 Council may please to direct otherwise. 



3. The Council may authorize Papers to be read without 

 such previous reference for an opinion thereon ; and when a 

 Paper has been referred, and the opinion is in favour of its 

 being read in whole or in part, the Council shall then cause it 

 to be placed in the List of Papers to be so read accordingly^, 

 and the author shall receive due notice of the evening fixed for 

 its reading. 



4. The authors of Papers read before the Society shall, if 

 they desire it, be presented with twenty-five separate copies of 

 their Paper, with the discussion thereon, or with such other 

 number as may be determined upon by the Council. 



