1896.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 583 



been well attended, the smallest number of persons present at any- 

 meeting being eleven, and the largest seventeen. The scientific 

 communications have been of interest and of practical value in 

 the advancement of entomology. 



At the annual meeting, held December 17th, the following were 

 elected officers to serve during the coming year: — 



Director, George H. Horn. 



Vice- Director, 



Treasurer, 



Co7iservator anH Recorder, 



Secretary, 



Publication Committee, . 



C. S. Welles. 

 C. T. Cresson. 

 Henry Skinner. 

 W. J. Fox. 

 C. W. Johnson. 

 J. H. Ridings. 



Henry Skinner, 



Recorder. 



REPORT OF THE BOTANICAL SECTION. 



' The Director of the Botanical Section respectfully reports that this 

 department of the Academy is in a prosperous condition. It is free 

 from debt, and has a small surplus in its treasury. Meetings have 

 been held regularly at stated times when many matters of importance 

 to botanical science were brought forward and discussed. 



The progress and needs of the herbarium are well set forth in the 

 statement of the Conservator, Mr. Stewardson Brown, which is sub- 

 mitted as a part of this report. It is hoped that the Redfield Mem- 

 orial Herbarium Fund, efforts to enlarge which from outside sources 

 have been held in abeyance the past year, may soon be increased. 

 The income from this should be immediately available to aid in 

 securing additional collections, while the principal sum is growing 

 so as to secure the essential services of a Curator. The voluntary 

 labors of Messrs. Crawford, Beringer, Brown and Meehan, in arrang- 

 ing the herbarium and preparing the specimens for fastening down, 

 have been continuous the past two years. It will take some five or 

 six years, at the same rate of proceeding, to complete the task, even 

 if no additions were made to the collection. It is a question whether 

 it is wise to depend greatly on this assistance, and it is earnestly 



