458 
been read. If a Paper be not read, it shall be returned to the 
author ; and if a Paper be not published within a reasonable 
time after having been read, the author shall be entitled himself 
to publish it, and he may borrow it for that purpose. 
2. When a Paper is sent to the Society for the purpose of 
being read, it shall be laid before the Council, who shall refer 
it to two of that body, or of the other Members or Asso- 
ciates of the Society whom they may select, for their opinions 
as to the character of the Paper and its fitness or otherwise for 
being read before the Society, which they shall state as briefly 
as may be, in writing, along with the grounds of their re- 
spective opinions. Should one of such opinions be adverse to 
the Paper and against its being read before the Society, then 
it shall be referred to some other referee, who is unaware of the 
opinion already pronounced upon the Paper, in order that he 
may state his opinion upon it in like manner. Should this 
opinion be adverse to the Paper, the Council shall then consult 
and decide whether the Paper shall be rejected or read ; and, if 
rejected, the Paper shall be returned to the author with an in- 
timation of the purport of the adverse opinions which have been 
given with respect to it; but the names of the referees are not 
to be communicated to him, unless with their consent, or by 
order of the Council. All such references and communications 
are to be regarded as confidential, except in so far as the 
Council may please to direct otherwise'. 
3. The Council may authorize Papers to be read without 
such previous reference for an opinion thereon ; and when a 
Paper has been referred, and the opinion is in favour of its 
being read in whole or in part, the Council shall then cause it 
to be placed in the List of Papers to be so read accordingly, 
and the author shall receive due notice of the evening fixed for 
its reading. 
4. The authors of Papers read before the Society shall, if 
they desire it, be presented with twenty-five separate copies of 
their Paper, with the discussion thereon, or with such other 
number as may be determined upon by the Council. 
