BRISTOL NATURALISTS' SOCIETY 
ANNUAL MEETING. 
From the Bristol Daily Post of May 8^A, 1865. 
The third annual meeting of this society was held at the 
Philosophical Institution, on Thursdav evening last, May 
4th, under the chairmanship of Mr. W. Sanders, the pre- 
sident. The minutes of the last annual, and of the last 
ordinary meeting having been read and passed, the report of 
the council was read by Mr. W. L. Carpenter. After con- 
gratulating the society on its steady progress in scientific 
attainments during the year, the important and new feature 
of the establishment of sections was dwelt upon at some 
length, as most careful consideration had been given to the 
mode of connexion between the society and the various 
sections, each of which managed its own affairs, and pur- 
sued its own objects, while all were under the regulations of 
the general council. These sections had been the means of 
attracting several new members, the total number being 
now 243 ordinary and 19 corresponding members. The report 
then spoke of the increased obligations of the society to the 
Institution, for the accommodation afforded for meetings, 
books, &c., and expressed a hope that, in the event of the 
removal of the Institution to another site, the requirements 
of the society would not be lost sight of, but that an arrange- 
ment might be made for a yearly rental of premises. The 
formation of a library of expensive standard scientific works 
was then alluded to, and subscriptions in aid of the fund soli- 
cited, as well as greater regularity in pavment of the general 
subscriptions. Reference was then made to the registration 
of objects of natural history undertaken by the society, and 
it was stated that the first part of the publication would 
probably be issued in the ensuing summer. All members 
were urged to assist the project to the best of their ability, 
assistance being offered by the council and officers of the 
ftocietv. The report then gave a brief outline of the pro- 
ceedings of the general and sectional meetings during the 
year, notices of which have from time to time appeared in 
our columns, and concluded with the hope that the spirit 
which had rendered necessary the extension of the society's 
operations in the year just concluded, would continue to 
animate the 'I'hole of the members. 
Mr. W. W. Stoddart, the hon. treasurer, read the 
audited account, showing a balance in hand of £46 lis. lid., 
and arrears of subscriptions amounting to £22 15s., an 
amount which was much to be regretted, as was also the 
small numbpr of subscriptions to the librarr fund, £11 5s. 
Mr. C. F. Kavis moved, and Major S. H. Tubby seconded, 
the adoption of the report and account, with a direction that 
it should be printed and circulated. 
Dr. Bkddoe moved that a contribution of £15 from the 
surplus funds in the treasurer's hands should be presented 
to the Institution, coupled with thanks for the kindness with 
which the society had been met, and that a further sum of 
£5 should be spent by the council for the benefit of the 
museum. The speaker stated that the number of meetings 
had increased to upwards of 60 in the year, and it was 
therefore desirable to vote a larger sum than heretofore, but 
he was sanguine enough to hope that at no very distant 
