From the "Bristol Daily Post" qf May 9th, 1864. 
The second annual meeting of this society was held at the 
Philosophical Institution on Thursday evening, May 5th ; 
Mr. W. Sanders, president, in the chair. 
The minutes of the last meeting having been read and 
passed, the honorary secretary announced the election of 
several new ordinary members, as well as of Professor 
Phillips, Dr. A. Gunther, and Mr. J. A. Po ^er, as corre- 
sponding members ; letters from whom were read. 
I The report of the council was then read by the honorary 
secretary. We make the following extracts: — 
"Your council have great satisfaction in announcing the 
stead}' scientific progress and the continued financial pros- 
perity of the Bristol ISaturalists' Society. The proceedings 
of the past year fully justify the most sanguine expectations 
of all friends and supporters of the society, and offer every 
encouragement and assurance for the future. The society 
numbers, at the completion of this its second year, not less 
ttian 214 ordinary and 15 corresponding members. This 
considerable increase in the number of members is rendered 
still more significant by the regular attendance at the 
monthly meetings. Referring to the changes in the organi- 
sation of the society, made at the first annual meeting on 
May 8th, 1863, your council think it just to call attention to 
the condensed abstracts of papers and debates prepared for 
publication by your honorary reporting secretary, as they 
indicate the desire and intention of the society to gain, by 
serious and sustained efforts, a public position as a scientific 
body, and to maintain the just claims of the several contri- 
butors to a deserved public reputation as the fruit of their 
industry. With respect to the obligations of the society to 
the Philosophical Institution, it will be sufficient to put on 
record the fact that every evening meeting of the society, as 
well as the meetings of the council, have, up to the present 
time, been held in this theatre, and that during this second 
year the obligations have been rather increased than dimin- 
ished by the permission so liberally accorded to make use of 
the museum and other accommodations of the institution." 
Passing to the transactions of the present year, the report 
gave a brief outline of the ordinary and excursion meetings 
of the society, notices of which have regularly appeared in 
these columns ; after which, it proceeded thus :— " Your 
council feel, moreover, that the society may now take 
another and very important step in its onward career, 
and to this they would beg to direct especial atten- 
tion. In the April meeting of this year, your honorary 
secretary expressed his views and wishes in regard to 
the accomplishment of a complete history of the geolog}', 
palaeontology, mineralogy, botany, and zoology of our 
locality, and, as far as might be possible, its entire natural 
history, including the highest and lowest forms of animal 
and vegetable life— a work of such large dimensions, and re- 
quiring such assiduous labour as can only be surmounted by 
the combined and continuous efforts of many naturalists 
qualified by previous experience and exactitude of know- 
ledge in various departments ; a work, however, worthy of 
their united powers, and oft'ering great opportunities and a 
high reward. It must be a source of just pride to the society 
that it can feel able as well as willing to undertake so im- 
portant a work, and that it can look forward with confidence 
to its completion in due time. The society has, however, 
fairly committed itself to this undertaking, with full faith 
in the powers of many distinguished members, and with the 
praiseworthy determination to carry out their resolve to the 
best of their ability." 
The report then expressed the recommendation of the 
council that in consequence of the increased work which 
had devolved upon them, their number should be increased 
to nine, besides the officers of the society, and proceeded : — 
" Ja conclusion, your council ventures to express its hearty 
