BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 189 



Of the Lowell free courses of lectures, there had been given under the direction of the 

 Society ; six on Comparative Embryology, by Dr. Chas. S. Minot ; four on North Amer- 

 ican Archaeology and Ethnology, by F. W. Putnam; three by Maj. J. W. Powell on the 

 Canons of the Colorado, Indian Life in the Rocky Mountains, and Indian Mythology ; 

 six by Prof. N. S. Shaler, on the Geological jiroblems of Boston and its vicinity ; and 

 five by S. H. Scudder on the Organization and Metamoi'phoses of Butterflies. The 

 courses were very interesting and well attended. 



From the report of the Treasurer there was an excess of receipts over expenditures 

 of $1081.12, the most of which, however, it was necessary to reserve for Prize pur- 

 poses in accordance with the conditions of the Walker bequest. 



At the election of officers for the ensuing year the only changes made were as follows : 



In the department of Microscopy, Samuel Wells was chosen on the Committee, in 

 place of Edwin Bicknell deceased, and in the department of Fishes and Reptiles, S. W. 

 Garman was chosen in place of Richard Bliss, Jr. 



It is pleasant to observe the persistent efforts made to prevent the expenditures of the 

 Society from exceeding its income. At the first meeting of the Council, after the annual 

 meeting of the Society, the Trustees reported that after a careful examination of the 

 invested funds, they estimated the income for the year then commencing, applicable to 

 the general purposes of the Society, as not likely to exceed f 8500. " To all who are 

 conversant with the state of afflxirs in the business world," they said, " the estimated reduc- 

 tion from the income of the past year wiU not be surprising, though most unwelcome. 

 Let us be thankful it is no larger, and by a wise and careful economy endeavor to dis- 

 charge the manifest duty of keeping our expenditures within the limits of our income." 

 The following appropriations were recommended : 



For salaries and wages, $6000 ; gas and fuel, $400; general expenses, $900 ; cabinet, 

 $300; publications, $900. 



These appropriations allowed of no contingences, but it seemed impossible to lessen any 

 of them. 



Walker Prizes. In October of this year the lirst prize of sixty dollars was awarded to 

 Mr. C. Riley, for his essay upon the subject proposed for this year, viz. : A complete 

 life history of the army worm, Leucania unipunctata, and its j^arasites. 



In November the Laboratory of the Museum was rented to the Technological Institute 

 for a course of thirty lectures, upon the payment of ninety dollars. 



1878. In March of tliis year occurred the death of Dr. Charles Pickering, a greatly re- 

 spected member of the Society, whose interest in its proceedings had been for many years 

 manifested by constant attendance at the meetings and often by talking part in them. A 

 man of very remarkable scientific acquirements, and of personal character corresponding 

 to his intellectual attainments, he merits more than a passing notice. 



De. Charles Pickering. 



Dr. Charles Pickering was born at Starucca, Susquehanna County. Pennsylvania, No- 

 vember 10th, 1805. His father, Timothy Pickering, Jr., was born in Philadelphia, Octo- 

 ber 1st, 1779, graduated at Harvard College, entered the navy, served creditably as mid- 

 shipman under Decatur, and resigned in 1801. His grandfather was Colonel Timothy 



