BOSTdJ^r SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 41 



and whose tastes led to his zealous cooperation with them in advancing its interests until 

 health and strengthi^ao longer pei'mitted active exertion. 



Dr. Greenwood wa^ not one of the original members of the Society, but he was early 

 connected with it add ever afterwards participated largely in its work. He became 

 second Vice President in 1834 and first Vice President in 18-36, holding the latter position 

 until May 1841, when by reason of failing health he resigned. As Vice President he was 

 frequently called upon to preside at the meetings of the Society, and he often by commu- 

 nications or otherwise, took j^art in the proceedings. In 1833 he delivered an address be- 

 fore it upon the opening of its new hall in Tremont street. This was published in the 

 Journal of the Society and formed its first article. This address has been before referred 

 to ; but some remarks in it bearing upon the importance of a collection of local species 

 merit attention. He said : "It shoiild be our object to attend particularly to the formation 

 or completion of such collections as may give a good idea of the natural features of our 

 own country and of our own section of our country. If I were traveling in Spain or Per- 

 sia, I should desire especially to examine some depository of the natural productions of 

 Spain or Persia. If I were traveling in our western states I should prefer seeing a mu- 

 seum well stocked with their own curiosities to one well stocked with all curiosities but 

 their own. And so, too, I pi'esume a traveler in New England will first of all desire to 

 see those objects which illustrate the natural history of New England. For our own in- 

 struction and gratification, indeed, and for the advancement of natural science amongst 

 us, we shall gladly collect from every quarter and every coast and corner of the globe ; 

 from eveiy sea and lake and river, whatever can be furnished for our purposes ; and yet, 

 for our sakes too, we shall least of all choose to be ignorant of the beings and things with 

 whicli Providence has surrounded our own dwellings, of the plants which spring from our 

 native soil, the birds which fly in our own heavens, and whatsoever passeth through the 

 paths of our own seas." 



We pass on to the Annual meeting of 1844, which was held on the 1st of May. The 

 President in presenting the reports of the Curators for the year took occasion to make 

 some remarks upon the early history, progress and present condition of the Society, and 

 then forcil^ly stating the pressing want of larger accommodations for the collections and 

 for the library, ap23ealed to the public for aid in supplying them. 



The Reports then given, though generally satisfactory as to the condition of the speci- 

 mens in the several departments, presented exceptions which were but too suggestive of 

 what would inevitably follow under the system of reliance wholly upon voluntary care 

 and labor. 



The Curator of Entomology reported that the collection had been infested to an alarm- 

 ing extent by Anthreni, and great injury done ; that in order to better preserve the speci- 

 mens he had been obliged to take a portion of them into his own keeping away from the 

 Hall, and resort to active measures to destroy the pest that was making such ravages. 

 Nothing, he said, but the utmost vigilance on his part enabled him to keep the collection 

 from destruction, and he urged that provision should be made for such glazed cases as 

 woiild effectually exclude the enemy. 



The Curator of Comparative Anatomy repoi'ted that by subjecting the specimens under 

 his care to over 180" of heat in the steam oven of the Society, they had been freed from 

 insects, and by the free use of poisonous washes future ravages prevented. 



