CXXXvi PROCEEDINGS—PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. 
other special meetings of a less festive character, are not included. 
At these meetings 280 papers were read—169 in the first period and 
111 in the second,—exclusive of many short notes, reports of the 
executive officers and of the delegates, and other communications, 
but including 32 presidential addresses. 
Of official excursions of which a record has been kept there were 
57 in the first period and 68 in the second, making a total of 125. 
In addition to these official excursions many others were planned 
and carried out by the members. It would be interesting to ascertain 
how many miles of Perthshire have been traversed in the 125 excur¬ 
sions, but I fear that this is now impossible. If, however, we allow 
an average of 8 miles for each excursion—probably too low a figure— 
we have 1000 miles. To this must be added the train mileage, 
covered in going to and returning from our ground, which may 
possibly exceed 3000 miles—a moderate estimate when we consider 
that the journey to and from the west of the county is over 100 miles, 
and to and from the north about as much. These and other excur¬ 
sions have resulted in a great increase in our knowledge of the natural 
history and particularly of the botany of Perthshire, and in adding to 
our herbarium a very large number of specimens. 
Although in 1881 we had entered into occupation of the Museum 
buildings, It was not till December, 1883, that the Museum itself was 
ready for public inspection. The period between November, 1881, 
and December, 1883, was, I need hardly remind you, a very busy one 
for those who were engaged in forming and arranging the Museum 
collections, and many of the years which followed saw an equal 
amount of hard work. Whilst our hearty thanks are due to all those 
who have laboured so well and effectually, to no one are we more 
indebted than to our Curator, Colonel Drummond-Hay, whose in¬ 
cessant and skilful work has in a great measure contributed to bring 
the Museum to that excellency which it has attained. 
Since the Museum was opened, communications have on more 
than one occasion been laid before you dealing with its arrangement, 
condition, and future needs. Therefore I will not say anything on 
these points further than to repeat what has often been said before, 
that there is urgent necessity for more room. I would, however, 
deprecate any scheme of extension that is not effectual and final 
being entered upon. Some time ago a plan of extension was sub¬ 
mitted to you. This plan, subject to some modification, is, I still 
think, the best. Our present Lecture Room might be retained as it 
is, and the present Museum Hall be devoted to the Index Collection, 
instead of the reverse arrangement, as was suggested. Then we 
might do without having a care-taker’s house on the premises, and 
devote the space thus obtained to some of our collections. This 
would enable us to dispense with one of the galleries, and thus avoid 
the well-like appearance which, rightly or wrongly, it was supposed 
the new Museum Hall would have. 
The years that have elapsed since 1881 have seen a wonderful 
development of our Library. Though the Society began to collect 
books at a very early date, it was not till 1881 that it was able to 
place the Library on a proper footing. After 1881 there came some 
