1884.] NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 329 



that a permanent Binding Fund, may be soon placed at the dis- 

 posal of the Library Committee. While the estimate for binding 

 is, properly enough, one of the first to be curtailed when expenses 

 have to be reduced, yet our rapidly increasing sets of journals 

 and the many valuable illustrated books which reach us in parts 

 as issued, are in danger of being injured or rendered incomplete 

 while used in the unbound form. 



The card catalogue of periodicals has been completed, and will 

 be transcribed in the form of a hand catalogue for the greater 

 convenience of those consulting this, perhaps the most important, 

 department of the library. Occasion was taken as the catalogue 

 progressed to make careful memoranda of deficiencies. 243 

 letters have been written applying for lacking parts and volumes 

 of incomplete sets of journals now in our possession, and 59 

 proposing exchange with societies, the publications of which are 

 not represented on our shelves at all. The responses to these 

 letters have been of such a satisfactory character as to account, 

 perhaps entirel}', for the excess of additions over the number 

 reported at the last annual meeting. 



In recording the completion of the important work noted, it 

 gives me pleasure to acknowledge the efficient service of Mr. 

 Emanuele Fronani, of whose assistance I have again been enabled 

 to avail myself during the summer months. 



The catalogue of the library, may be now said, for the first 

 time in many j^ears, to be complete. Care is, of course, taken 

 to add the titles of accessions immediatel}" on their presentation. 



The portrait of the late Dr. Robert Bridges, which was 

 approaching completion when my last report was presented, has 

 been placed in its proper position in the gallery of Presidents, 

 and is considered an unusually satisfactory likeness. The 

 Academy is indebted for it to Messrs. Geo. W. Tryon, Jr., W. S. 

 W. Ruschenberger, Thos. Meehan, Jos. P. Hazard, J. H. Redfield, 

 Jacob Binder, C. S. Bement, Harrison Allen, John Ashhurst, Jr., 

 Edw. S. Whelen, Chas. Schaeffer, Aubrey H. Smith, John S. 

 Haines, Samuel Lewis, Geo. H. Horn, John Welsh, Chas. E. 

 Smith, Jos. Wharton, Isaac Lea, and George Vaux. 



In view of the amount of work accomplished and the results 

 thereof, the past year, in this department of the Academy, may 

 be regarded as an uriusually prosperous one. 



All of which is respectfully submitted, 



Edw. J. Nolan, 

 22 Librarian. 



