1849.] > 253 



Of these, there were derived from authors 68 ; from editors 25 ; from members, 

 correspondents, &c. 150; from Societies and Corporations 59 ; from Dr. Wilson 

 115S; making an aggregate of 1460 additions to the Library in 1849. 



The additions in 1847 amounted to 1072 ; in 1848 to 1349, and in the present 

 year exceeding the last by 111. 



With one exception, these have been the most prosperous years for the Library 

 since the foundation of the Institution. In these three years the additions have 

 amounted to 3881; of which, 2773 are due to Dr. Wilson, and the remainder, 

 1108, have been derived from other sources. 



The Librarian has renewed gratification in calling attention to the continued 

 liberality during the year of Dr. Wilson. The Library has always received a 

 large share of the interest and zeal which this gentleman has steadily manifested 

 for the Institution, and the results have been recorded on our minutes almost 

 weekly for several years past, in the long lists of varied, well selected, and 

 highly practical works which he has placed upon its shelves. 



Until within a short period, these works have been entrusted to the Society 

 for the benefit of the members, without other restrictions than such as its rules, 

 and a due regard for the property, required. Dr. Wilson has, however, thought 

 proper to convert this splendid collection from a deposit into a donation, and I 

 have now the pleasure of announcing to the Society that we shall soon be in 

 possession of the whole collection, on the single condition that the use of the 

 works be restricted to the Hall: none of them, therefore, will be loaned from 

 the Hall on any pretext whatever. The numerous works in Mineralogy and 

 Geology, Entomology, Herpetology and Ichthyology, Conchology, Botany, 

 General Natural History, Mammalogy, Voyages and Travels, and the Periodicals 

 have already been presented. The remainder will follow, as the time and leisure 

 of the donor will admit of his preparing the lists. 



Among the additions this year are a n\imber of works on Conchology, obtained 

 by purchase with the proceeds of the sale of several copies of Say's Conchology, 

 for which latter the Society is indebted to the liberality of Mrs. Lucy W. Say, 

 by whose instructions the fund is thus appropriated. We are under obligations 

 also, this year, to Professor Agassiz, for a donation of numerous quarto volumes 

 of the Transactions of two Swiss Natural History Societies ; and to our venerable 

 President, William Hembel, Esq., for a valuable and scarce work in 41 vols. 8vo. 

 the Transactions of the London Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manu- 

 factures and Commerce. Dr. Wilson's donation of the Transactions of the Royal 

 Society of London complete from the origin of the publication in 1665, to the 

 middle of 1849, in 119 quarto vols., with the abridgement of the same, from 1665 

 to ISOO, in 18 quarto vols., by Hutton, Shaw and Pearson, has been received with 

 the highest gratification by the members. 



In the last report, it was stated that further accommodations for the Books 

 would soon be required, the space in the present apartment becoming rapidly 

 occupied. This necessity has since greatly increased, and, in consequence a 

 plan has been submitted to the Society, and received its sanction, for adapting 

 one of the adjoining rooms to the purposes of a Library. The floor of this room, 

 and that of the entry beyond, will be lowered to a level with the present 

 Library, and laid on iron joist, with intervening brick arches, and a gallery con- 

 structed similar to, and communicating with, that in the same. The work will 



35 



