55 
it necessary to do so on thi3 occasion, as full reports of each meeting, in the 
Society's published Proceedings, have been forwarded to every member. Since 
further allusion will be made to this publication, in considering the financial 
position of the Society, the subject will not be pursued here. 
The number of members of the Society has not increased during the year, the 
losses by death and resignation being exactly balanced by the election of new 
members. 
The Council have to regret the loss of two members by death — Mr. William 
Tanner and Mr. Clement Baber. The temperament of the first-named gentleman 
was so quiet and retiring, that he seldom or never took any active part at the 
Society's meetings, but he devoted himself specially to the cultivation of ferns, 
and to their acclimatisation, endeavouring to render such ferns as were usually 
considered green-house plants hardy enough to live in the open air. The members 
of the Botanical Section will long remember with pleasure an evening spent, by 
invitation, at Mr. Tanner's house on August 18th, 1865, when the opportunity 
was afforded them of examining his collections, and observing his modes of culture 
of various plants ; and shortly before his death he had expressed his wish to 
receive the section again at his house, with similar hospitable intentions. 
Mr. Baber was prevented by his arduous professional duties from showing more 
than a general interest in the Society, but the value he placed upon scientific pur- 
suits is evident from the fact that a training in these formed a prominent part in 
the routine of instruction pursued in bis school. 
Removal from Bristol caused three other members to resign, and, two having 
resigned for other reasons, a total is shown of seven members lost to the society ; 
but the deficiency thus caused has been exactly supplied by the election of seven 
new members. 
With regard to the Society's Library, no additions by purchase have been made 
to it during the year, on account of the state of the general account and funds of 
the Society, to be presently explained. The Council regret that a larger sum of 
money is not subscribed annually to the support of the Library, and they wish to 
remind members that the use of the books is open to all, and not confined to the 
unfortunately very small number of subscribers to the Library fund. Donations 
of several volumes have been received during the year, and announced at the 
Meetings from time to time, especially from the various sections, who have thus 
generously devoted a portion of their special funds to the use of the whole 
Society. 
The Council regret, too, that more progress has not been made with the proposed 
published work of the Society upon the Natural History (in its widest sense) of 
the Bristol Coal-field. Before the first part can be written, it is necessary to make 
a careful re-examination of certain geological strata at a considerable distance from 
Bristol, and the inclemency of the weather, as well as the numerous other demands 
upon their time, have hitherto prevented the gentlemen appointed for this duty 
from accomplishing their object. 
The Financial position of the Society is, unfortunately, a matter of some 
anxiety to the Council, and demands attention also at the hands of the members 
themselves. It is scarcely necessary to state that the present state of things is 
due, in great part, to the cost of the publication of the Society's Proceedings in 
