70 Cincinnati Society of Xatural History. 



3. The Life Membership Fund.— This fund is yet small. Since Life Memberships 

 were fixed at $50, two members have availed themselves of this method of providing 

 permanently for their dues. Fifty dollars invested by a member in this fund, pays 

 him ten per cent, interest. Members who have come into the Society to stay, would 

 do well to remember this. 



4. The Bodman Fund. This munificent gift of the late Charles Bodman, of 

 $50,000, subject to no conditions whatever, was received in full by the trustees, in 

 July, 1877. The Society set apart $12,000 of this to be applied to securing a piece of 

 property for our sole use and control, and as a permanent home for the time being- 

 Under this provision the building we are now in was bought. Its purchase and im- 

 provements to adapt it to the use of the Society, have cost within $688 of the amount 

 set apart for the purpose. 



The remainder of the Bodman gift, $38,000, the Society directed to be invested 

 by the trustees, and kept at interest until otherwise ordered. This was carried into 

 effect, and we are now in the regular receipt of the proceeds. The amount of the 

 Bodman fund actually invested is about as much over the $38,000, as the cost of our 

 real estate falls short of the $12,000. 



The payment of the interest regularly on one of our loans, was, as many of our 

 members know, suspended during the year 1878; but during the past year all 

 arrearages were made good, by suit, and a part of the principal of that loan was 

 collected and invested in securities of a different character; while the original mort- 

 gage security is still held for the balance of the loan. 



The average annual income of the Society is about $3,500; and we have now on 

 hand such a surplus of our general funds as might justify the Society in directing a 

 temporary investment of ten or fifteen hundred dollars. 



During the past year dues and initation fees have been paid by one liundred 

 members. 



The number of members who have paid u]) their dues to the end of the year just 

 closed, is 67 ; and 5 of these have resigned with their last payment ; having 62 paid- 

 up members (exclusive of life-members from the former Academy of Sciences). 

 49 members owe, up to date, for one or more years ; 4 of these have removed to 

 other States, and will probably have to be dropped. 



Our membership can not, therefore, be counted as more than one hundred and 

 eight or ten at most. 



Of persons elected members in the last two years, 14 have failed to perfect their 

 membership by the payment of the initiation fee; 18 others elected during the same 

 two years have perfected their membership in that respect. 



