and Devon and Cornwall Natural History Society. 
9 
was Leld at tlie Royal Hotel. About forty were present, 
and a pleasant evening was passed. 
In July the Devonshire Association for the Promotion of 
Science, Literature, and Art,^^ held its meeting at Plymouth, 
and the Council of your Institution felt it incumbent upon 
them to offer every facility in their power, in furtherance of 
the objects this flourishing Society has in view. 
The Hall of the Athenaeum was therefore placed at the 
disposal of the Association, and its meetings were held 
there. 
The Council also invited the Members to a Conversazione 
on the evening of July 30th. A desire having been expressed 
that paintings by local artists should be the principal 
feature, a large number of works, both in Oil and Water 
Colours, were placed at the disposal of the Society, and an 
Exhibition of great value and interest was the result. 
During the past summer there has been no especial Field- 
day of the Institution, but many of the Members joined the 
Excursion of the Devonshire Association up the river Tamar. 
At the Annual Conversazione, Music for the first time 
formed an attractive element in the proceedings, and Natural 
History was especially illustrated. 
The Museum has had much attention paid it during the 
past year. A number of exotic and other specimens have 
been disposed of, but many more will have to be removed aa 
the local collections increase, which they are now fast doing. 
A great many fish have been added, and it is hoped that a 
fine collection of this class for reference and comparison will 
soon be made. The fish in the Museum at the commence- 
ment of our year numbered only about thirty, and these were 
nearly all common species ; the collection now numbers nearly 
eighty, and includes some of the rarest captured on the British 
B 
