PRESIDENT’S REPORT. 
In accordance with the rules of the Natural History Society of 
Newport, it is one of the duties of the president of the Society to 
make a report of the Society’s proceedings during the year at the 
annual meeting, and the following report for the year 1886-87 
therefore submitted : 
Since the last annual meeting of the Society in May, 1S86, the 
following papers have been read at the regular meetings, of the 
society, viz. : 
1st—On June 5th, 1SS6, by Capt. J. P. Cotton, on “Water 
Supply.” 
2nd—On June 29th, 18S6, by Professor T. Nelson Dale, on “A 
Geological Ramble through the Tyrol.” 
3rd—On August 6th, 1886, by Dr. McKim, of New York, on 
“Origin ot Life and its Early Developments.” 
4th—On September 3rd, 18S6, by Mr. Charles Lawton, 011 
“Ornithological Notes on the ‘Shore Birds’ of Newport Bay r ,” 
and by Mr. A. O’D. Taylor, on “The Extinction, within Historic 
Times, of Certain Wild Animals in a Corner of Europe.” 
Arrangements were also made by the council for two educa¬ 
tional courses of lectures by Professor T. Nelson Dale, who, 
accordingly, delivered a series of seven (7) lectures on “Ge- 
ology,” weekly, on Saturday' evenings, commencing February 12 
and ending March 26, 1887 ; and a series of four (4) lectures on 
“Cryptogamic Botany,” commencing April 2 and ending April 
23, 1S87. These lectures were remarkably well attended, and 
the council believes that their specially educational character 
contributed largely to their success. 
On October 1, 18S6, an arrangement was made with the New¬ 
port Historical Society to rent from them for one year, a pail: of 
the available space in tiie Barney street Hall for the display 7 of the 
Natural History Society’s collections, the arrangement also to in¬ 
clude accommodations for whatever meetings the Natural History 
Society might wish to hold during those twelve months. 
The arrangement has proved satisfactory. The attendence at 
the various meetings has been larger than when they were held in 
