xiv PROCEEDINGS—PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. 
Six meetings were held during the year, at which eight papers 
were read, in addition to the two usual Addresses of the President. 
The attendance at the meetings continues to be very satisfactory, 
the average being 40. The largest attendance was 44, on 9th 
February, 1899, and the smallest 36, on 8th December, 1898. 
There has been an addition to the Membership of 64 Ordinary 
and 7 Associate Members, being the largest number admitted in one 
session since 1881-82. The total membership has reached the highest 
figure yet attained, namely 410, including 2 Honorary Members, 
353 Ordinary Members, n Corresponding Members, 39 Associate 
Members, and 5 Associates. This very satisfactory increase is in 
part due to the Photographic Section, which was last summer revived 
and enlarged. In order to meet the wants of the Section, the 
Council agreed to fit up a photographic dark room, and they are 
pleased to know that this privilege has been largely taken advantage 
of. Under the auspices of the Photographic Section, a very success¬ 
ful conversazione was held in the Sandeman Library, to which all the 
members of the Society and their friends were invited. 
During the Summer, 8 excursions were held, and were well 
attended. At one of these, the Members of the Society had again 
the pleasure of meeting with the Members of the Scottish Natural 
History Society, from Edinburgh, and the Council are pleased to 
think that this is likely to become an annual event, as the Edinburgh 
Society is desirous of arranging another excursion for the coming 
summer. very successful excursion was also held jointly with the 
Perth Literary and Antiquarian Society. The Council again wish to 
place on record their indebtedness to those gentlemen who gave the 
permission necessary for the carrying out of some of those excursions, 
and also to others who contributed to the enjoyment of those who 
took part in them. 
The Society has again to mourn the loss by death of several of its 
members, amongst the number being one of its founders, namely, 
Mr. William Herd, whose face was so long familiar at our meetings 
and excursions. 
The Children’s Essay Competition for the Prizes offered by 
the President at last Annual Meeting has proved very successful. 
The results will be announced at a meeting of the competitors and 
friends, to be held in the Lecture Room in the course of a week or 
two. A course of educational lectures on Practical Geolo°;v has 
recently been organised, and has been well attended. The lecturer 
is Mr. James B. Corr, of Dundee, and he has found the Geological 
collections in the Museum very useful for demonstration purposes. 
The course has been to some extent in the nature of an experiment, 
but as the result is so encouraging it is hoped that it may be possible 
to organise a similar course on this or some other subject next winter. 
The Council have had pleasure in granting the use of the Lecture 
Room, as in former years, to various local societies, chiefly for meet¬ 
ings of an educational nature. 
The number of visitors to the Museum continues to show a 
satisfactory increase. The number during the past year was about 
12,160, or an average of fully a thousand a month. 
