with a promptness and liberality, which will forever redound 

 to their credit, contributed largely towards the purchase, 

 and, with the sums subscribed by individuals, enabled the 

 society to make a purchase of that valuable collection, v/hich 

 is now one of the chief, and perhaps, most interesting orna- 

 ments of the city. 



The superior personal attention and talents of Dr. L'Her- 

 MINIER, were also enlisted in behalf of the society, by being 

 appointed superintendent of the Museum. This was also an 

 acquisition of importance ; his practical knowledge in every 

 department of science, and particularly that of chemistry, 

 had already given a character to that department, which 

 cannot fail to ensure its future progress. * * * 



Our distinguished fellow-citizen the Hon. Thomas Sump- 

 TER, minister, resident at Brazils, has lately enriched the 

 Museum of the society, by presenting it with an extensive, 

 splendid and very valuable collection of minerals, birds, and 

 insects of Chili, and the Brazils. The society are also in a 

 very especial manner indebted to the Hon. JoelR. Poinsett, 

 the Hon. Henry Middleton, Spephen Elliott, Esq., 

 Messrs. Maclure, Caradeaux, and other respectable indi- 

 viduals, for their valuable donations of specimens in natural 

 history, and for which, their names have been honorably 

 mentioned in the journals of the society. _ 



* * * the society may be said to be in a flourishing con- 

 dition. It consists of 138 members, many of whom are of the 

 first standing in society, and of acknowledged literary 

 and scientific talents. Its Museum is rich in an extensive 

 collection of minerals, fossils and shells. The departments 

 of Zoology, particularly those of Ornithology, Erpetology, 

 Ichthyology and Entomology, are extensively filled. It is 

 also rich in coins, medals and castings. The specimens of 

 Art are also very considerable; and the whole are arranged 

 in the most appropriate order by their late superintendent. 



The library of the society, being for the most part con- 

 fined to books of science, is yet in its infancy. * * * a 

 fund is appropriated towards its particular establishment, 

 v/hich has been enriched by a donation of 750 dollars, from 

 John Blake White, Esq. one of its members. 



Upon the whole, this society may be said to be established 

 upon such sure foundation, as cannot fail to ensure its ulti- 

 mate success, and we look forward with pleasing anticipa- 



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