PROCEEDINGS OP THE PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. 
65 
collection will soon be formed, in addition to what the Society 
is already in possession of, but it should be distinctly borne in 
mind, that help is being asked (and we need all we can get) not 
so much for the benefit of the Society as for the advantage of the 
whole community;—it is, therefore, of the greatest importance 
that as perfect a collection as possible of the local natural history 
be placed at the service of the public ; and I can only hope that a 
thorough interest will be taken in the matter throughout the 
whole county in promotion of so desirable au object. 
In conclusion, I may say that the arrangement of specimens 
will be carried out as speedily as possible; but as the work is 
great, some time must elapse before the Museum can be opened 
to the public. The more assistance, therefore, we receive, so 
much the sooner is it likely that the Museum can be opened. 
B, E P 0 R T OP THE EDITOR. 
By Dr BUCHANAN WHITE, P.L.S. 
During the past year the only work published, by the Society 
has been Part I. of the first volume of its “ Proceedings.” This 
was to a certain extent an experiment, which so far has proved 
successful. The “ Flora of Perthshire” is still unpublished, but 
this is rather a matter for congratulation than regret, as some 
very important information regarding Perthshire plants has been 
acquired during the past year. 
On the motion of Sheriff Barclay, seconded by Sir 
Robert Monoreiffe, Bart., the reports were unanimously 
adopted. 
ELECTION OF COUNCIL FOR 1882-83. 
The following members were unanimously elected as 
the Council for the session 1882-83 :— 
Colonel H. M. Drummond Hay, C.M.Z.S., of Seggieden, 
President. 
Robert Pullar, Esq., E.R.S.E. 
Sir R. D. Monoreiffe of Monoreiffe, 
Bart. (• Vice-Presidents. 
John Stewart, Esq. 
Magnus Jackson, Esq., E.S.A.Sc. j 
John Young, Esq., C.E., Tay Street, Secretary. 
John Macgregor, Esq., Post Office, Treasurer. 
Colonel H. M. Drummond Hay, C.M.Z.S., of Seggieden, 
Curator. 
James Coates, Esq., Librarian. 
E. Buchanan White, M.D., E.L.S., Editor. 
P. D. Malloch, Esq. 
John Dawson, Esq. 
S. T. Ellison, Esq. 
And (ex-officio) the Trustees of the Society, 
Colonel Drummond Hay, 
Dr Buchanan White, 
R. Pullar, Esq., and 
A. Coates, Esq. 
The President then delivered his Annual Address, as 
follows:— 
Upon looking over the records of this Society, I 
find that your Presidents have almost invariably 
commenced their annual addresses by congratulating 
the members upon the satisfactory and gratifying 
character of the reports presented by the officebearers of 
the Society. I observe, however, that these congratula¬ 
tions have been not unmingled with expressions of dis¬ 
satisfaction,—the most common—indeed, I may say, the 
never-failing—subject of distressful comment having been 
the “ cribb’d, cabin’d, coffin’d, and confined ” room, with 
its malodorous atmosphere, in which until lately we were 
wont to assemble. To-day we are in the happy position 
of having listened to reports in which we have heard 
nothing that is not gratifying and full of promise for the 
future. When my last annual address was given I 
certainly expected that in another year I should speak to 
you in a new place, but I hardly anticipated that the final 
accomplishment of our scheme would be so complete and 
satisfactory as it has proved. It is a very great matter to 
begin our new career without one penny of debt upon our 
heads;—it is still more gratifying to have got together the 
nucleus of a little capital, which I hope we shall be able 
to increase year by year. For a long time to come our 
utmost endeavours must he used towards the filling of our 
museum-cases with local and typical collections, and I 
might well employ the present occasion with some words of 
help and encouragement in this work were it not that our 
much-esteemed editor has recently gone into the matter so 
fully, and with such admirable common-sense. He has 
put the case so ably before you that I need do no more 
than ask you to give what he has said your most careful 
attention. In casting about in my mind for some other 
suitable topic upon which to address you to-day, it 
occurred to me that perhaps it might not be out of place 
(now that our Society is entering upon a new phase of its 
existence), were I to dwell for a little on the aims and 
ends of Natural Science studies. The subject is old and 
perhaps somewhat threadbaretomany of you, and probably 
I shall say nothing which has not been heard before, or 
which you yourselves have not already thought and said ; 
nevertheless, it seems not unmeet that, in our present 
circumstances, when so many new members have joined 
us, we should be reminded of what are acknowledged to 
be our duties and privileges as students of science. The 
strides with which science has advanced in recent years, 
and the rapidity with which schools, classes, societies, and 
institutions devoted to science-studies have sprung up 
almost everywhere throughout the country, are among the 
