130 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE 



bration of the Humboldt Centenary, with an account of the evening's festivities, forming 

 an octavo pamphlet of one hundred and seven pages, had been also published and dis- 

 tributed. 



The Custodian expressed strongly the feeling that a further postponement of activity 

 in this direction could not fail to be disastrous. Yet there had been sent abroad of 

 parts of Memoirs and of the Journal, of copies of Harris' Correspondence, of the Pro- 

 ceedings, what was equivalent to about two hundred and sixty-five volumes of the Pro- 

 ceedings, and over 200,000 octavo pages. Besides all this the Society had distributed in 

 behalf of the Commonwealth, three hundred copies on the Report of the Invertebrates of 

 Massachusetts, recently published by the State. 



The judicious action of the Legislature, the Custodian remarked, in placing its scien- 

 tific publications where they will be of the greatest permanent benefit, merits the com- 

 mendation of all who, like ourselves, are aiming at the widest diffusion of knowledge. 



An enumeration of the books in the Library had been recently made. They were 

 counted as bound, whether containing more than one volume, as frequently the case, or 

 not; and the parts had been estimated at their proper j^roportions of the volumes to 

 which they belong, and the pamphlets counted separately. The enumeration therefore 

 gave the number as proportionably smaller than previous estimates. There were I'ound 

 to be 9396 volumes, and 2677 pamphlets. Of these volumes ten hundred and ten were of 

 a general literary character, mostly deposited by "A Republican Institution"; eight hun- 

 dred and six were botanical ; four hundred and fifty-three entomological ; four hundred 

 and two geological and mineralogical ; five hundred and ten encyclopaedic ; six himdi-ed 

 and thirteen upon vertebrates ; five hundred and thirty-six upon travels and local fauna, 

 and forty-one hundred and seventy-three journals and publications of Societies. 



The Custodian announced the death of our esteemed coadjutor, Col. A. J. Grayson, to 

 whose explorations it will be recollected the Society contributed in connection with the 

 Smithsonian Institution. It had been the strong wish of l^oth parties interested, that he 

 should visit the Sierra Madre of North Western Mexico, that he might make there a care- 

 ful investigation of its fauna. He arranged to be there in June, that being considered 

 the most favorable month for his purposes. Prior to that period he visited the Island of 

 Isabella off the coast to study the habits of sea fowl during their breeding season, and 

 there he contracted a malarious disease that led to his death in August. 



The amount contributed by the Society being unexpended, was returned by his wife to 

 the Smithsonian Institution. By advice of Prof. Henrj^, this was transferred by vote of 

 the Council to Prof Sumichrast, to be used in the explorations undertaken by him on the 

 Isthmus of Tehuantepec. 



An arrangement had been made by the Custodian with the Secretary of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, by which a large number of unassorted specimens of various character 

 were sent to the Society with the understanding that they should be returned in oi'derly 

 condition, compensation for the labor being made by a selection from the duplicates for 

 the Cabinet. 



The number of visitors to the Museum during the year exceeded forty thousand. It 

 was open to the public one hundred and four days. The largest nmnber present on any 

 one day was seven hundred and eighty-one. 



