PROCEEDINGS 
AT TUB 
SIXTH ANNUAL MEETING, 
Held March 12, 1808. 
The President, Dr. Thomas Black, in the Chair. 
The President, on talcing the chair, expressed his regret that 
His Excellency the Governor was unavoidably prevented from being 
present. He (the President) knew that His Excellency always took 
a marked interest in the proceedings of the Society, and on more 
than one occasion had rendered to it most valuable help. No one, 
he felt sure, would more regret his absence than His Excellency him¬ 
self. He (the President) would not, however, detain the meeting 
further at that time but would at once call upon the Secretary to 
read the report. 
The Secretary, Mr. Geo. Speigg, then read the Annual Report of 
the Society. (See page 5.) 
Professor M‘Coy moved the adoption of the Report and Balance- 
sheet. He observed that the first paragraph of the Report explained 
why the Society had been unable to do as much at it was desirous 
of doing, or might have been expected to do during the past year. 
The funds had been cut off to such an extent that even the wages of 
the ordinary and necessary staff at the Royal-park, and the food of 
the various animals kept in captivity at the different depots, had all 
to be provided by funds raised on the personal guarantee of some 
members of the Council. It was impossible to avoid this; but in 
the ensuing year he had no doubt that the exertions of the Society 
would result in some new substantial events, inasmuch as it was the 
desire of the Council, who took the most active part in the manage¬ 
ment of the affairs of the Society, to expend their money and their 
energies on a few species of useful birds and a few species of useful 
quadrupeds, so that its operations might not be frittered away over a 
number of objects. Among those animals likely to form the nucleus 
of a new industry was the ostrich, for the introduction of which 
