viii 
Report to the General Meeting. 
hitherto been fixed at over four and not exceeding eight months 
old, the Council have resolved that in future the limits of age 
shall be over three and not exceeding six months old. The 
regulation of the Prize-sheet prohibiting the preparation of sheep 
for show by oiling and colouring has been cancelled. 
The prizes for implements, offered for competition next year, 
are confined to Reaping-machines and Sheaf-binders. The 
competing implements will be tried at harvest-time, and pro- 
bably in the county of Warwick, upon suitable crops which 
will be engaged for the purpose ; and it is confidently expected 
that the interest attaching to these trials will rival that which 
was exhibited during the trials of Mowing-machines at Taunton. 
During the past half-year the attention of the Council has 
been much occupied by a revision of the Society's Bye-laws : 
and after prolonged consideration, and repeated recourse to legal 
authorities, they have adopted a revised code of Bye-laws in 
conformity with the provisions of the Charter, which they hope 
will tend to increase the interest of Members in the Society, 
especially in the exercise of their function as the electors of the 
Council at the Annual Meetings in May. A copy of these Bye- 
laws will be sent to each Member of the Society, whose sub- 
scription is not in arrear, with his copy of the next number of 
the ' Journal.' 
The Council have also had under discussion the relations 
existing between the Royal Veterinary College and the Society ; 
and the Veterinary Committee have had an interview with a 
deputation of the Governors of the College with a view to 
arrange matters on a more satisfactory basis than heretofore. 
The Council regret that they have been unable to come to any 
other opinion than that the proposals of the Royal Veterinary 
College did not sufficiently meet the requirements of the Society. 
They have, therefore, given notice to the Governors that the 
annual grant made by the Council to the Royal Veterinary Col- 
lege will be discontinued from and after the 31st December, 1875, 
The future organization of the Veterinary Department of the 
Society has also been carefully considered by the Council. As a 
basis, they resolved that the annual grant for veterinary purposes 
should be devoted as follows : — ' 
1st. To giving Members of the Society the opportunity of 
obtaining the best veterinary advice in the case of any 
extensive or serious outbreak of disease. 
