180 [December, 1S44. 



phere, during the carboniferous period, was essentially different from 

 what it is at present. It was supposed that it contained a much larger 

 amount of carbonic acid gas, which, by absorption, caused the rapid and 

 enormous growth of the coal plants. This could not have been, since we 

 now find that lung-breathing animals existed at the same epoch. 



The Reports of the Corresponding Secretary, of the Libra- 

 rian, and of the Treasurer of the Publication Committee, were 

 severally read and adopted. 



The Report of the Treasurer was read, and referred to the 

 Auditors. 



The Recording Secretary read his Annual Report, which 

 was, on motion, referred to the Committee on Proceedings. 



REPORT 



OF THE RECORDING SECRETARY, 

 For 1844. 



The original design in requiring from the Recording Secretary of this Society 

 an annual Report of its transactions, may be considered now as nearly super- 

 ceded by the plan adopted within the last few years of publishing its " Proceed- 

 ings'' at short intervals. In addition to the various written and verbal commu- 

 nications made to the Society, this periodical contains extracts from the minutes 

 of all other matter which the committee, having charge of its publication, may 

 deem useful or important to be made known. 



Its pages may, therefore, be appealed to with confidence, for affording 

 abundant information to enable all who may choose_ to examine them, to form 

 an opinion of the character of its transactions, and of the degree of progress 

 which it has made in a twelve-month. 



The present report will, therefore, merely contain a short summary of the 

 contents of the Proceedings of the present year, together with a few additional 

 facts, not generally familiar to the members, and which may perhaps be inter- 

 esting to them. 



Perhaps, at no period since its organization, have the standing and prospects 

 of the Society afforded higher gratification to its members, than at present. 

 The cabinet has been enhanced in value and utility by an unusual amount of 

 contributions to its various departments, in some of which, in fact, should the 

 increase continue in the same ratio for a few years longer, there will be little or 

 nothing for the Institution to desire. New and neat ranges of cases have been 

 constructed within the last few months, for accommodating the large additions 

 of books and specimens. Every gallery is now occupied, and we have at 

 length the satisfaction of seeing the interior arrangements of this spacious and 

 commodious Hall completed in accordance with the design originally contem- 



