324 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP [1884. 



Twenty-two foreign societies have been added to the exchange 

 list, making now a total of 335 societies and journals, to which 

 the numbers of the Proceedings are sent by mail as they are 

 issued. Fifty-two of these receive also the Journal. Letters 

 applying for deficiencies, and proposing exchange of publications 

 as noted in the report of the Librarian, have been productive of 

 the most gratifying returns. 



The average attendance at the meetings during the year has 

 been twenty-seven. Verbal communications have been made by 

 twenty-six members ; they have been for the most part published 

 in the Proceedings. 



The most important event in the history of the Academy 

 during the past year, was the passage of an amendment to the 

 charter by means of which the Society is empowered to hold a 

 larger annual income than heretofore. The preliminary step to 

 the securing of such an amendment was taken by the meeting 

 held December 4, 1883, when the following preamble and resolu- 

 tions were adopted by a unanimous vote : — 



Whereas, The limit of the yearly income of the Academy of 

 Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, fixed by the charter at eight 

 thousand dollars, is, in the opinion of the members, insuflScient 

 for the necessary requirements of the corporation, therefore — 



Resolved, That the officers of the Academy of Natural Sciences 

 of Philadelphia be, and they are hereby authorized and empow- 

 ered and requested to petition in due form the proper Court in 

 Philadelphia, under the Act of Assembly of Pennsylvania, enti- 

 tled "An Act to provide for the incorporation and regulation of 

 certain corporations," approved the 29th day of April, A. D. 

 1874, to so amend the charter of said corporation as to enable the 

 Academy to hold a much larger income, as follows, to wit: By 

 striking out, in the proviso to Section I of said Charter, after the 

 word " income," the following words — " of such estate shall not 

 exceed eight thousand dollars, nor," and insert in lieu thereof the 

 following words, " from the real estate shall not exceed twenty 

 thousand dollars ; nor shall the income of the corporation " — so 

 that the proviso to said Section I, as amended, shall read as fol- 

 lows : '"'■ Provided, That the annual income from the real estate shall 

 not exceed twentj^ thousand dollars ; nor shall the income of the 

 corporation be applied to any other purpose than those for which 

 this corporation is formed." 



