Eeports of Societies. 



Ill 



it. It "will therefore be incumbent on tbe committee to make provision for the 

 completion of this portion of the work. The publication of the Union's Trans- 

 actions having led to an exchange with societies of similar aims, the library has 

 been increased by the addition of such publications as are issued by the societies 

 in question. Various presentations have also been made by members of the 

 Union. The secretaries will be prepared to lend books or pamphlets belonging 

 to the Union to such societies or subscribers as may wish for the loan. The 

 number of subscribers has increased from 221 to 265. At the last annual 

 meeting a series of resolutions was passed, whereby a new class of 

 members was created — that of honorary life members. The regulations 

 governing their selection provide that the total number shall be limited to 

 twenty, and that no more than two be elected annually ; that their proposers 

 shall be required to show a double qualification — first, acknowledged scientific 

 attainments, and secondly, signal ser^-ices rendered to the Union ; and that such 

 members shall have all the privileges and rights of ordinary members and 

 subscribers. It is also provided that every successful candidate shaU have a clear 

 majority of three-fourths of the votes, first of the council, and then of an annual 

 or specially convened general meeting. Dr. Parsons, late of Goole, whose 

 services and co-operation were of such inestimable "v alue to the Union, and the 

 loss of whom is still keenly felt, was unanimously elected as the first of these 

 members. On the occasion of the twenty-fir^jt anniversary of the publication of 

 the " Origin of Species," it was arranged to congratulate Mr. Darwin, the 

 author, upon so interesting an event. It was accordingly decided to prepare an 

 address, and, when suitably engrossed, that a small deputation should present it 

 to Mr. Darwin personally at his residence. This was accordingly done on the 

 3rd of November. The cost of engrossing in book form, and of a number of 

 reprints of it, was borne by voluntary subscription among the members. Mr. 

 Thomas Lister was appointed to represent the Union at the Swansea meeting of 

 the British Association, and when there, assisted at a conference of delegates of 

 provincial scientific societies, when it was arranged that a more representative 

 conference should be held in York next August, to consider in what manner best 

 to promote the interests of the various societies represented. The president and 

 secretary of the Union are, by the rules of the British Association, entitled to 

 sit on its general committee, either personally or by delegates. The present year 

 being that of the celebration of the jubilee of the Association, when it will again 

 meet in the city of its nativity, your Council hope that members will do their 

 best to secure the complete success of what is a memorable and ought to be a 

 brilliant event in the history both of the Association and of the county of York. 

 In concluding their report, your Council congratulate the members on the good 

 fortune which the Union had had in securing the services, as presidents, of 

 Yorkshiremen who have made their mark in the field of scientific discovery." 



The report and balance-sheet having been adopted on the motion of ]\Ir. 

 Thos. Hick, B.A., B.Sc, seconded by INIr. B. Holgate, F.G.S., the 

 excursion programme for 1881 was resolved upon, as follows : — Skipton, 

 Easter Monday, April 18th ; Sheffield, for the Rivelin Valley, Saturday, 

 May Mth ; Hornsea or Flamborough Head, Whit Monday, June 6th ; 

 Thorne Waste, Saturday, July 9th ; E-ichmond, Bank Holiday, Monday, 

 Aug. 1st ; and a fungus meeting at Leeds about the end of September or 

 beginning of October ; the annual meeting to be held at Bradford on the 



