NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 507 



of the catalogue, and it has been thought well to avoid this as far 

 as possible. The numbering and card register will be extended to 

 the remaining sections of the library as rapidly as possible after 

 the rearrangement of the books in the cases provided in the new 

 building has been perfected. 



At the meeting of the Academy held February 16, The 

 Treasurer announced the munificent donation by Isaiah V. Wil- 

 liamson, Esq., to the Academy of ground rents to the amount of 

 $25,000.00 as a permanent fund for the use of the library. It is 

 confidently hoped that the interest on this sum, together with 

 the portion of the interest derived from the legacy of the late Dr. 

 Thos. B. Wilson devoted to the same use, and amounting together 

 to $1800.00 per annum, will be sufficient, not only to keep the 

 library supplied with the current scientific literature, but also to 

 enable the Library Committee to secure from time to time the 

 many very desirable books of an earlier date which are still want- 

 ing in most of the departments. It will be perceived that 269 

 additions to the library have been already derived from the I. Y. 

 Williamson Fund. The most notable of these additions is a 

 complete set of Curtis' Botanical Magazine, which was long most 

 earnestly desired by the society. It may be well said to consti- 

 tute a comparatively complete botanical library in itself. 



A number of answers to the applications for deficiencies sent 

 last year to corresponding societies have been received since my 

 last report, and in many cases the volumes applied for have been 

 sent to the Academy. I have great pleasure in acknowledging 

 the obligations of the society to Mr. Wm. S. Vaux, who, during 

 his recent visit to Europe, lost no opportunity of pressing our 

 wants upon the attention of the officers of such societies as he 

 had an opportunity of visiting. We have received, hi conse- 

 quence, valuable contributions from the Academy of Sciences of 

 Bologna, of Naples, of Bruxelles, and from the Zoological Society 

 of London. I have also been advised of the early sending of a 

 valuable series of volumes of the Comptes Rendus of the French 

 Academy, in which the library has been deficient since the death 

 of our benefactor Dr. Thos. B. Wilson, and which, together with 

 parts of the Annales des Mines, and other desiderata, have been 

 secured directly through the agenc}^ of Mr. Vaux. 



The thanks of the Academy are also specially due to Mr. Rath- 

 mell Wilson for the liberal donation of 170 volumes from the 



