1879.] NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 451 



The work of revising the various families so as to bring the 

 nomenclature in accord with modern views, and which in former 

 reports it was believed could scarcely be accomplished without 

 the employment of experts to be especially engaged for the pur- 

 pose, still remains to be done but the voluntary labors of several 

 distinguished botanists have aided us the past year to a good be- 

 ginning for even this herculean task, and we may hope that it 

 will not be very long before the whole is treated in the same way. 



It is no derogation to the assistance we have received from 

 many members and friends to say that much of the excellent pro- 

 gress made is due to the energy of our Conservator Mr. John H. 

 Red field, whose report in detail has been adopted by the Section 

 as part of this report. 



Thomas Meehan, 



Vice- Director. 



The Conservator reports that the work of the past year has 

 been mainly directed to the improvement of the condition of the 

 Academy's valuable Herbarium, and this labor has been interrupted 

 only by the necessary care and attention bestowed upon the con- 

 stant new accessions to its stores. 



The order-tablets and genus lists for the North American Herba- 

 rium have been completed. 



Mr. Isaac C. Martindale has carefully elaborated and catalogued 

 the species of Clematis, Anemone, and one or two other allied 

 genera, both in the general and in the North American depart- 

 ments, a tedious and difficult labor which has revealed both the 

 extent and the weaknesses of our collection. Mi. Charles F. Par- 

 ker has also neatly mounted these species, and the work of these 

 two gentlemen, while onby the beginning of a gigantic task, is a 

 model for future workers. 



Dr. Asa Gray, of Cambridge, has during the year revised for us 

 some of the most perplexing of the genera of the North American 

 Compositre, such as Yernonia, Solidago, Chrysopsis, etc., and Mr. 

 Parker is securing to us the result of this labor, by mounting the 

 plants (with Dr. Gray's notes affixed) as fast as elaborated. 



Mr. Bebb, who, in 1878, worked out for us the willows of our 

 North American Herbarium, has this year performed a similar 

 service upon those of the general Herbarium, with infinite addition 

 to their scientific value. 



