BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 177 



lectual gifts were added a modesty and self-forgetfulness which, while they were unfavor- 

 able to the more popular recognition of his merits, have rendered his example preemi- 

 nently worthy of imitation by all honest seekers after truth. Yours faithfully, 



William B. Rogers. 



In October the President received a letter from Miss Susan Wyman, Administratrix, 

 stating that the will of her father, Dr. Jeffries Wyman, had an item reading : "I offer to the 

 Boston Society of Natural History my collection of Comparative Anatomy, they paying 

 therefor the sum of three thousand dollars." After considerable discussion it was voted to 

 refer the matter to a committee appointed by the Chair. Dr. B. Joy Jeffries, Dr. T. M. 

 Brewer, and Mr. Chas. J. Sprague, composed this committee. In November, the com- 

 mittee on the bequest reported recommending the Council to accept the offer made in the 

 will, and also, in consequence of the increased value of the collection, to pay $5000 

 instead of $3000. 



Much discussion followed, it being suggested that possibly there might be facts not yet 

 before the Council concerning the later wishes of Dr. Wyman in regard to the disposal of 

 the collection which might influence action. A decision upon the matter was therefore 

 further postponed, and the President was requested to confer with Dr. Morrill Wyman, and 

 to report the result to the Council two days later. This he did at a large meeting of that 

 body, there being twenty-one members present. Much more discussion followed, some 

 members thinking the expense too great for the Society to incur, others that the wish of 

 the late President as expressed in the will should be respected even at some sacrifice. 

 None objected to increasing the amount to $5000 provided the collection was received. 



It was finally voted to accept the offer made in the will, and also in consequence of the 

 increased • value of the collection since the execution of that instrument, that $2000 

 additional be paid. Drs. Dwight and White were appointed a committee to take all nec- 

 essary action to remove the collection and have cases prepared for its reception. 



1875. The Report of the Custodian at the annual meeting m May, was as usual full of 

 interest to the members. Respecting the work in the building for the protection of the 

 collections yet in progress, he stated " that such as had been proposed to be done within 

 the year has been completed. More than half the cases are now secured against the 

 entrance of dust and insects, and the most valuable preparations can be safely trusted to 

 their protection. If any member of the Society will take the trouble to walk through 

 our rooms, he will easily satisfy himself of the necessity of these changes. The condition 

 of the collections which still remain in the old cases, whose loose doors cannot be secured 

 either against dust or insects, show this very plainly. The tables in the Palaeontological 

 and Conchological collections, though but recently completed, are more or less disfigured 

 by dust, and where more perishable specimens exist, as among birds and mammals, the 

 amount of damage done will in a few years be irretrievable." 



Much work had been done upon the collections during the year. Mr. Emerton had been 

 occupied in removing those of the Geological department, and also the sponges, corals and 

 echinoderms. 



The minerals had been rearranged by the President, so as to make a most attractive dis- 

 play in the newly furnished room at the right of the main entrance. In the gallery of 

 this room he had placed a special collection of New England species. 



