171 
Annual Meeting, April 18th, 1871. 
E. W. Binney, F.R.S., F.G.S., President, in the Chair. 
The following Report of the Council was read by one of 
the Secretaries : 
The Council have the satisfaction to report that the past 
year has been one of steady progress for the Society. On 
the 31st of March, 1870, the general balance of the Treasu- 
rer’s account was £268 Is. 2d., and on the 31st of March 
last it had increased to £287 19s. ljd. 
The number of ordinary members on the roll of the So- 
ciety on the 1st of April, 1870, was 161, and 14 new 
members have been since elected. The losses during the 
year have been — deaths, 1 ; resignations, 3 ; and defaulters 
2. The number on the roll on the 1st of April instant was 
therefore 169. 
In the last annual Report it was stated that in conse- 
quence of the rapid increase of the Library of the Society it 
would be necessary to provide additional accommodation. 
This has since been done, a new bookcase having been fitted 
up in the Council room in place of a smaller one which has 
been removed into the tea room. 
The Council refer with pleasure to the fact that the prin- 
cipal result of the recent solar eclipse expedition is due to 
the energy, intelligence, and skill of a member of the Society, 
Mr. Alfred Brothers, F.R.A.S., whose beautiful photograph 
of the solar corona is now generally regarded as having 
settled the long disputed question as to the real nature of 
this remarkable phenomenon. 
Proceedings — Lit. & Phil. Soc. — Vol. X. — No. 16. — Session 18 0-71. 
