sented a series of their valuable communications on subjects connected with the ancient history of Ireland, which are this day laid before you by their Secretary, the Rev. Dr. Todd, honorary member of your Central Committee. That gentleman, in his official capacity as a member of the council of the Royal Irish Academy, has also been charged to submit for the inspection of the present meeting, the collection of drawings, which so admirably represent the weapons and implements of the early races by which Ireland was occupied. This exhibition forming an illustrated catalogue of their museum, supplies a series of examples highly valuable as evidences for the purpose of comparison with the few scattered remains of the same period found in our own island, and of essential service for the arrangement of a class of objects hitherto very imperfectly studied by English Antiquaries. The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland has shewn, with singular liberality, their desire to promote our cause by the vote of their council to send the more valuable antiquities preserved in their museum for exhibition at this meeting. We must deeply regret that a domestic calamity has deprived us of the gratification of seeing amongst us this day their Secretary, Mr. Turnbull, one of our local representatives at Edinburgh, to whom this valuable charge had been intrusted. The Principality has likewise shewn itself not less zealous in behalf of our Society, and the friendly feeling of the Royal Institution of South Wales induced that body to forward to Winchester a valuable contribution to the rich stores which have been exhibited. They have been despatched by their honorary librarian, Mr. George Grant Francis, your local secretary for Glamorganshire, whose unavoidable absence from our meeting is much to be regretted. I cannot omit on this occasion to invite the attention of members to the very great benefit which would accrue to us from the formation of a library at our apartments in London, composed chiefly of modern Archæological publications, which I feel assured would greatly facilitate the researches of many of our members. I have to report that the number of our subscribing members amounts at the present time to upwards of seven hundred; and, whilst I cannot but congratulate the society on this rapid increase of our supporters, I must hope that we shall, by a still greater augmentation of our body, gain extended means of carrying into effect that system of correspondence and research which is amongst the chief objects of our institution. It must be borne in mind that with the present moderate rate of our annual contribution, it will be difficult to carry our intentions into effect unless aided by the co-operation of a very numerous body of subscribers. I cannot omit, at the close of this most gratifying meeting of our Society, to call attention to the encouraging fact that so large a proportion of the members who pledged themselves to attend on this occasion, amounting to upwards of 150, many of whom were engaged in important professional and official duties, should have been enabled to realize their promise of being present, and taking part in our proceedings here. More than two-thirds of that number have given their active and cordial co-operation on this occasion. The causes which have unavoidably prevented some of our warmest friends
