1S4 [December, 1844. 



more general distribution of the books has been made by the Library Committee. 

 Labels have been also placed over each case, indicating the nature of its con- 

 tents, and indeed the whole arrangements of the Library, as now made, add 

 greatly to its facilities. 



In an Institution like ours, a Museum, however extensive and systematically 

 arranged, would obviously be of comparatively little advantage without a cor- 

 responding Library of well selected works on subjects of Natural Science. 

 To render it entirely available, as few restrictions as possible should be placed 

 upon it ; and this has always been the object and aim of the Society. Access 

 to the books is at all times freely permitted to the members, and a large propor- 

 tion of them are allowed to be taken from the Hall. But experience has lately 

 proved that these privileges are not without some disadvantages. The Library 

 Committee, while engaged in the duty just mentioned, (of re-arrangement of 

 the books,) discovered that a considerable number were missing. Some of them 

 are works of much value, and which cannot easily be replaced ; and although 

 it is highly probable that many may be recovered through proper efforts, the fact 

 stated would seem to render it incumbent upon the Society to inquire, whether 

 the present regulations, if properly complied with by the members, are suffi- 

 cient for the security of the Library, or whether some further restrictions are 

 necessary. 



From a hasty examination of the Librarian's book of entries of additions to 

 the Library, since the publication of the catalogue in 1836, the number may be 

 estimated at nearly 700, including all except maps and charts. If this number 

 be added to those stated in a report of the Library Committee accompanying 

 the catalogue, to be in the possession of the Academy at the above period, the 

 total now in the Library, including duplicates, would be little short of 8,000. 

 From this estimate, the collection of maps and charts, now numbering about 

 500, is excluded. 



Of the entire number of works in the Library, upwards of 1,500 are exclu- 

 sively on subjects of Natural Science, and about 1,200 others are journals and 

 dictionaries, a large proportion of the contents of which are on similar subjects, 

 and are highly important and often indispensable as works of reference. 



Although, with such a collection of works at his command, the resources of 

 the student of natural history would seem to be ample enough, yet our Library 

 is greatly deficient in modern standard publications in almost every depart- 

 ment. Industrious and active laborers in the cause are now so numerous 

 throughout the world, and the field for investigation still so extensive, that 

 new discoveries are constantly made, new truths developed, and even ma- 

 terials for the formation of new systems collected. To enable our Library to 

 keep pace with the rapid progress of modern Science, it would be necessary for 

 a Library fund to be [established — a measure which the Society has always had 

 in view — and placed in the hands of a competent committee, willing to under- 

 take tho duty of impartially selecting from the numerous publications of the 

 day, such as would be of the greatest practical value to the Institution. 



This subject is not now referred to with the object of urging it upon the 

 Society, or even with the expectation of any action upon it at present, as it in- 

 volves an expenditure which, at this time, cannot be incurred; but it deserves 



