1852.] 219 



believed to be unique, of the skeleton of Chcerodes Liberiensis, Lddy^ has been 

 received from Dr. T. B. Wilson. 



Besides the foregoing, 49 crania of mammals, birds and reptiles, 17 skeletons 

 of birds, and 58 miscellaneous specimens have been presented by Messrs. J. Ver- 

 reaux, De la Berge, A. L. Heermann, G. P. Oliver, B. H. Coates, Amory Edwards, 

 "W. Wood, A. Janney, and others. 



Botany. The herbarium has been increased by the addition of a number of 

 valuable specimens. 



Major J. Le Conte presented his entire collection of North American plants, 

 made through the course of many years. 



Other collections of Phaenerogamous plants have been presented by the Rev. 

 M. A. Curtis, of South Carolina, Dr. A. L. Heermann, Mr. R. H. Kern, and 

 Dr. Engelmann, of St. Louis. 



Of fruits, lichens, marine algae, &c. we have received 96 specimens from 

 Messrs. S. Ashmead, G. W. Fahnestock, J. C. Trautwine, E. K. Kane, and 

 others. 



PalcBontology . An interesting collection of minute crag fossils of England , 

 consisting of 41 species, was presented by Dr. T. B. Wilson. 



Dr. J. L. LeConte has presented the unique fossils upon which were esta- 

 blished the Dicotyles depressifrons, D. cristatus, Procyon priscus, Protochcerus 

 prismaticus, and Anomodon Snyderi. 



Dr. Isaac Hays presented an interesting specimen, upon which has been pro- 

 posed the Tapirus Haysii. 



Besides the above, 219 specimens of organic remains have been presented by 

 Messrs. D. D. Owen, Thomas Fisher, A. Jessup, R. Kilvington, C. Wistar, C. 

 H. Budd, J. L. Burtt, Leidy, Wetherill, H. W. Kennedy, Spackman, and others. 



Mineralogy . 83 specimens of minerals have been presented by Messrs. W. 

 D. Hartmann, S. Ashmead, W. S. Vaux, T. Fisher, G. M. Wheatley and J. L. 

 Burtt. Among the specimens is a beautiful piece of crystalline native copper, 

 one and a half feet in length, from Lake Superior, the donor of which is Mr. 

 B. A. Hoopes. 



In conclusion, the Curators respectfully call upon the members to co-operate 

 in the endeavors now being made to raise a fund sufificient to increase the capa- 

 city of the Museum to an extent demanded by its collections ; and they hope, 

 at the next annual meeting, to be able to report that ample space has been pro- 

 vided for the accommodation of any future additions to the Cabinet. 



Joseph Leidy, Chairman of the Curators. 



The Committee on Proceedings presented the following 



REPORT: 



The " Proceedings" of the Academy, the publication of which was commenced, 

 more than ten years since, has increased gradually in importance, and now 

 commands respect abroad, from the value and diversity of its contents. It is 

 quoted by kindred journals, and seems to be regarded as authority. 



The members of the Academy are respectfully invited to consider the value 

 of this publication. 



To make widely known the labors of the members of the Academy is, in its 

 influence on the prosperity of the Institution, and on the increase of knowledge, 

 second only to those labors themselves. Discoveries in natural history art- 

 valuable in proportion to the number of persons to whom they may be made 

 known. While a knowledge of new facts is limited to the discoverer and his 

 companions, science gains little and society is scarcely benefited by the toils of 

 research. It is not necessary to enlarge on this point ; every one is aware that 



