1895.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 567 



Entomology, 7 



Mammalogy, 6 



Mineralogy, 4 



Conchology, 2 



Miscellaneous, 18 



Physical Science, 70 



Geology, 40 



Botany, 32 



Useful Arts, 28 



Chemistry, 18 



Bibliography, 8 



5,089 



It will thus he seen that an important section of the library is not 

 strictly in place in the Academy, and, as has been already stated, when 

 carefully arranged and catalogued, a large number of duplicates will 

 doubtless be found. The gift, notwithstanding, is the most important 

 the library has received, exclusively, since the I. V. Williamson 

 Library Fund came into the possession of the Academy, and a brief 

 account of the legacy, as a matter of permanent record, may not be 

 out of place. 



Mr. John G. Meigs was born in Philadelphia in 1801. He was 

 engaged during his active life in the manufacture and sale of shoes, 

 his place of business being on the west side of Fifth Street above 

 Chestnut. He was so well regarded by his friends and customers, 

 because of his honorable dealing, as to have acquired the enviable 

 name of " Honest John Meigs. ' ' By strict attention to his work 

 and judicious investments in real estate, he laid the foundation of a 

 fortune which enabled him later to retire from the cares of business 

 life. While not himself a man of college education, he was fully 

 aware of the desirability of intellectual training. His son, James 

 Aitken Meigs, was therefore encouraged to take advantage of the 

 public school system of education, culminating in the Boy's Central 

 High School, from which he graduated in 1848. He then matricu- 

 lated in Jefferson Medical College, from which he obtained his 

 diploma as Doctor of Medicine in 1851. He was elected a member 

 of the Academy the following year, and was immediately placed 

 under those influences which were so important in determining his 

 future distinguished career. He served as Librarian from August, 

 1856, until May, 1859, when he was compelled to resign the office in 

 consequence of the increase of his professional engagements. 



After his retirement from business, Mr. Meigs and the Doctor were 

 much more intimately associated than is usually the case even with 

 father and son. The mother having died July 28th, 1870, at the 

 age of sixty 3 T ears, the two men kept house together, during the latter 

 years of their lives at No. 1408 Spruce Street, where they accumu- 



