144 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 
the Journal is up to the average of recent years, the amount being 
316Z. 15s. 9eZ., as against 324Z. 13s. 3 d. for the preceding year. The 
Council have to report, with sincere satisfaction, communications to the 
Transactions from several fresh contributors, from whom they hope to 
again hear. The condition of the finances of the Society has compelled 
the Council on some occasions to regretfully decline the consideration of 
papers which the editor reported he could see no early hope of publish- 
ing. The editor has been fortunate in retaining for yet another year 
the otherwise busily-occupied coadjutors who are of such material assist- 
ance to him, and he notes, as one striking advantage of their long 
association with the work, a greater conciseness in the valuable notes 
which they supply to him. 
The number of woodcuts in the last volume of the Journal is some- 
what greater than usual. Knowing how highly these are appreciated by 
those who use the Journal, the Council trust that they will not be com- 
pelled to contract this expansion in the way of illustration. Some idea 
of the extent of information given in the Journal last year may be 
gathered from the fact that the number of references in the Indices 
amount to more than 4900. 
Advertisements . — Tne falling off of the amount received for Adver- 
tisements is more apparent than real. The reason is that many of the 
Advertisements appearing in 1894 were prepaid, and were included in 
the accounts for 1894. 
INVESTMENTS. 
The Council have pleasure in informing the Fellows, that, through 
the exertions of the Treasurer, assisted by a sub-committee, the proceeds 
of the mortgage that was paid off in 1894 have been invested on advan- 
tageous terms in the following stock, i.e., Nottingham Corporation 3 per 
cent., North British Railway 3 per cent. Debentures, and New South 
Wales Government 3^ per cent. 
ROOMS. 
The Council have again to direct the attention of Fellows to the ad- 
vantage of the rooms being open on Wednesday evenings. They regret 
to find that no use has been made of the rooms during the past year. 
The Council would call attention to the fact that the rooms were first 
opened on Wednesday evenings during the latter part of 1892, when 17 
Fellows attended ; in 1893 the attendance rose to 29, but in 1894 it fell 
to 16. Altogether the Library has been open for 92 Wednesday even- 
ings, exclusive of meeting nights, and the total number of attendances 
does not average one per night. 
INSTRUMENTS AND APPARATUS. 
The Council have the pleasure of congratulating the Fellows on the 
valuable addition to the Collection of a Lantern, which was kindly pre- 
sented to the Society by the Committee and Members of the South 
London Microscopical and Natural History Club, on the dissolution of 
that body. 
The Inventory of the Society’s Instruments and Apparatus is now 
nearly complete, the objectives remaining to be examined before being 
