COUNCIL FOE, 1878. 
17 
services of Mr. Charles Wakefield as an assistant in the Scientific 
and other work of the Museum during the vacancy, an office 
which he had previously filled on the resignation of a previous 
Keeper of the Museum until the appointment of Mr. Dallas. 
On the 15th of May Mr. Baines died, at the ripe old age 
of 84, having heen for several years past in feeble health. 
It would be unjust to the memory of this valued Officer of 
the Society to close this Deport without a brief record of 
his services, extending over a period of many years. Mr. 
Baines first entered the service of the Society as Sub-Curator 
in the autumn of 1829. The report for the year 1830 contains 
this paragraph on the appointment of Mr. Baines. “ The 
Council consider themselves fortunate in the person whom they 
have engaged to take charge of the grounds under the Curator, 
a person qualified by his skill and industry not only to cultivate 
the garden with scientific diligence, but to render essential 
service to the Museum. His activity has already obtained for 
the Society 500 plants.” How the hopes raised on his appoint¬ 
ment were fulfilled by the labours of a long life is best 
evidenced by the state of the Museum and grounds during the 
period of his curatorship. 
Mr. Baines had not only a fair knowledge of Natural History, 
Antiquities and Greology, but he was a Botanist of high repute, 
and his work on Flora of Yorkshire ” will long remain an 
evidence of his attainments in this department of Science. 
The Council, after the decease of Mr. Baines, thought the 
time had arrived when an appointment ought to be made to the 
Office" of Keeper of the Museum, and they have selected for 
this office, out of many candidates, J. C. Purves, Esq., M. D., 
of Edinburgh, lately engaged on the Greological Survey of 
Scotland, who produced testimonials of the highest class. The 
Council have decided to sever the management of the Society’s 
finances from the other business which devolves upon the 
Keeper of the Museum, and your respected Treasurer has 
kindly consented to allow one of his principal Clerks to take 
charge of this department under his own superintendence. 
Dr. Purves, therefore, after attending in the first place to the 
general wants and interests of the Museum, will be able to 
