BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 131 



Tlie Custodian reported the collections of the different departments of the Society to be 

 in good condition. That of Mammals and Comparative Anatomy had received a stuffed 

 specimen of the great Antarctic seal collected in the exploring expedition of Commodore 

 Wilkes. A living ojjossum and its young had also been received from Dr. C. KoUock of 

 South Carolina, and had been mounted in characteristic attitudes. Other interesting 

 specimens had been received from the Union Street menagerie. 



In the Ornithological department, the mounted birds had had special attention, every 

 si3ecimen having been taken down, thoroughly examined, and where necessary treated 

 with benzine and other materials. The cases had all been made as nearly air tight as pos- 

 sible and in fact every possible measure adopted to prevent the further ravages of insects. 

 To accomplish this, four or five persons had worked continuously for two months. Dona- 

 tions had been received from the Smithsonian Institution, F. E. Everett, S. Mixter, 

 H. A. Purdie and others. 



Quite extensive additions had been made to the collection of nests and eggs, mostly 

 in exchange. To Mr. B. P. Mann and Mr. S. Mixter, the department had been indebted 

 for the presentation of many specimens. 



The Entomological collections were reported in better condition than at any time within 

 ten years. Mrs. Stratton, Mr. H. Edwards and others, had presented many specimens, and 

 there had been a valuable accession from Tehuantepec collected by Pi'ofessor Sumichrast. 



There had l^een considerable work done upon the Reptiles, and one hundred and fifteen 

 specimens had been added to the collection. A marked deficiency of native species was 

 mentioned, particularly of turtles. 



The Fishes, numbering three thousand eight hundred and ninety-six specunens, were 

 reported in good order and mostly identified. 



Some work had been done by Mr. S. I. Smith upon the Crustacea, and the whole collec- 

 tion placed in satisfactory condition. 



The Curator of Mollusks reported much progress in mounting the gasteropods of the 

 Pratt collection, and mentioned that a valuable series of British shells had been received 

 from the Smithsonian Institution, and many specimens from Mr. H. Edwards and others. 



The collection of Radiates had been greatly improved, and a large portion of the corals 

 and sponges mounted in an erect position upon black tablets. 



The Botanical department had received an important addition in the herbarium of Hon. 

 John Amory Lowell, containing many thousand species carefully labelled, mounted and 

 catalogued. 



By the subscription of some gentlemen, a ring of the bark of a Redwood tree of Califor- 

 nia had been purchased, measuring forty feet in circumference. This had been mounted 

 under the direction of Mr. Brigham, the acting Curator, and now forms a conspicuous 

 object in the entrance hall of the Museum. 



The arduous task of rearranging and labelling the entire Mineralogical collection had 

 been completed by the Curator, and the whole was now in perfect order. The number of 

 specimens was about 2800. 



Mr. S. H. Scudder, the Custodian, in presenting the annual report, took occasion, as 

 this was to be the final one by him, to review somewhat at length the experience of the 

 Society in the past, and to suggest considerations in relation to its future policy. He said 

 that " while some collections need a good deal of revision and many are not yet entirely 



