504 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



before the completion of the illustrative plates as advance copies 

 of Prof. Cope's paper on the Batrachia and Reptilia of Costa 

 Rica. 



Abstracts of such parts of the proceedings of the Academy as 

 might be of popular interest have been published from time to 

 time in the daily papers, with the effect, it is believed, of increasing 

 the interest of the community at large in the welfare of the society, 

 as well as causing a more numerous attendance of members at the 

 meetings. 



Art II. Chap. II. of the P^'-laws was amended by striking out 

 the last sentence and substituting the following words : " Persons 

 under sixteen years of age may be elected members provided 

 their nominations be first approved by the Council. Members 

 under the legal age of twenty-one years are not entitled to vote 

 at any meeting of the Academy nor to serve on committees." 



On August 31, a resolution was adopted requesting the Council 

 to examine the By-laws and report such changes as may be 

 necessary for the better government of the Academy. 



The important events in the history of the Academy during 

 the past year have been the reception of the I. V. Williamson Li- 

 brary Fund more particularly referred to in the Librarian's Report, 

 the sale of the premises at present occupied by the societ}', the 

 removal of the collections to the new building at the S.W. corner 

 of Nineteenth and Race Streets, and the junction of the American 

 Entomological Society with the Academy as a section thereof. 



On February 23, a resolution ..was adopted referring to the 

 Finance Committee for consideration, a proposition to subscribe 

 the sum of $50,000 to the building fund of the Academy. On 

 March 30, a report was received from the committee recommend- 

 ing the appropriation of the sum named upon certain conditions, 

 and a resolution was adopted authorizing the Treasurer to make 

 the subscription when a further sum of $30,000 had been obtained. 

 A resolution was also adopted authorizing a committee appointed 

 at a previous meeting to ascertain the value of the premises at 

 Broad and Sansom Streets, to negotiate the sale of the same. 

 On November 16, this committee reported that the property had 

 been sold for $00,000 to be paid in cash and securities, amounting 

 together it was believed in net value to $56,500, and on No- 

 vember 23, the President and Recording Secretary were author- 



