131 
Of these puhlications, with the luldition of ii few volumes, 
partly obtained by exchange of some duplicates, and partly 
purchased to complete a work already in the library, 28 vols. 
and 16 parts have been placed on the shelves. 
All the new acquisitions have been entered in the catalogue 
compiled in 1857 and 1858. It has been considered advisable 
to postpone the preparation of a new catalogue, until the 
result of a correspondence now in progress w'ith a great 
number of scientific societies and institutions, for the purpose 
of introducing a mutual exchange of publications, shall be 
known, and the system of such exchanges shall thus have been 
more completely develcfped. 
The library is gradually emerging out of the insignificance 
in which it had remained until within the last few years. The 
improvement is almost entirely owing to the exchanges 
referred to ; but an improvement on that basis, to whatever 
extent it be carried, can never bring the library to a desirable 
state of completeness. The transactions and other publica- 
tions of learned societies and institutions, which are thus 
obtained, are undoubtedly of the greatest value, and of course 
absolutely necessary in a scientific library ; but still, they 
constitute only one of its chief elements. Scientific periodicals 
and separately printed works — the other elements — must as a 
rule, be bought. Every member of this Society, having for 
its chief object the advancement of science, cannot but feel the 
importance of rendering the library belonging to it as effective 
as possible. To point out that there exist great deficiencies, 
which can only be filled up by purchases, leads therefore 
evidently to only one conclusion : that the question of 
procuring funds for that purpose must be fairly taken up. 
A project, with that view, has been submitted to the Council, 
and, if approved of, will no doubt be recommended to the 
attention of the members. 
As indicated in the last Annual Report, the subscription, 
authorised by the Society’s resolution of the 20th October, 
