REPORT FOR THE SESSION, 1892-93. 



In venturing to print our first Report we are conscious that the 

 Society has not yet crystallized into permanent form, that its 

 methods, perhaps even its constitution, are tentative and subject 

 to modification, and that in the opinion of some it may not so 

 far have succeeded in justifying its existence. 



In response to a generally expressed opinion that there was 

 room for such a society, action was taken at the beginning of the 

 session. A General Meeting of all members of the College 

 interested in Science was held in the Examination Hall on the 

 evening of Oct. 20th, Principal Roberts taking the chair. The 

 function of such a society as a central point round which might 

 gather the various floating interests in matters scientific which 

 were known to exist, and the idea that its meetings might 

 furnish a medium for the presentation of fact and theory in 

 more attractive guise and for their treatment on freer lines than 

 those necessarily adopted in the lecture-room, were dwelt upon. 

 The meeting resolved upon the establishment of the Society, and 

 upon its name. It was further decided that the work of the 

 Society should group itself under two heads ; the two branches 

 to be known respectively as 



The Natural History Section, 

 The Chemical and Physical Section. 

 A constitution was framed, and officers appointed as above. It 

 was decided that it should be open to any member of the College 

 to join the Society upon payment of a nominal fixed subscription. 



The Society's Meetings, eight in number, have been held 

 regularly at intervals of a fortnight during the Michaelmas and 

 Lent Terms. 



The Inaugural Meeting, on November 2nd, 1892, took the 

 form of a Conversazione. The President and Vice-Presidents 

 delivered addresses at the commencement of the evening. Dr. 

 Snape's chemical experiments. Prof. Lewis's exhibit of vacuum ^ 

 tubes, and the aquaria of the Biological department stocked with 

 living occupants, were items in a varied and popular bill-of-fare. 



The second meeting took place on November 23rd, when Prof. 

 Lewis lectured to the Society on "Intermittent Illumination." 

 The subject was elucidated by several striking experiments. 



On November 30th, Mr. Salter's paper introduced us to " The 

 Marine Life of our Rock Pools." An interval allowed of our 

 making the further acquaintance of such of them as were 

 displayed under microscopes in the adjoining room. 



As a variation on sectional evenings, the last meeting of the 

 term, that of December 14th, was devoted to the reading of 



