ELISHA MITCHELL SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY. 7 



financial support during the past year; and it is earnestly 

 hoped that this membership will increase. 



{3) Contributions to the Library of the Society. During 

 the past few months an encouraging beginning has been 

 made in this direction, and it is hoped that much more will 

 be accomplished during the coming year. The Society de- 

 sires to collect together for preservation and reference, all 

 books, pamphlets, manuscripts, maps, &c., that have any 

 bearing upon the history, natural history, or resources of 

 North Carolina, and any books, pamphlets, maps, &c., writ- 

 ten by members of the Society, or workers in North Caro- 

 lina. Already there has been collected together upwards of 

 400 such books, pamphlets and journals of other Societies. 



A system of public lectures was organized again during 

 this year, and three lectures have been given. These will be 

 continued during the next year under the* direction of the 

 council. 



The Journal of the Society for i885-'86, published during 

 the past year, was a pamphlet of 148 pages. The Journal 

 for i886-'87 will be published in two parts of probably 76 

 pages each. Part I will be printed during the early summer. 

 Part II will appear later in the year. 



As a continuation of the series of biographical sketches 

 Part I of the Journal will contain a short sketch of Prof. Mar- 

 cellus Hentz. Part II will contain a sketch of the late Prof. 

 W. C. Kerr. 



The President of the Society, on account of ill health, has 

 been unable to meet with the Society during the year; but 

 in various ways he has given assistance and encouragement. 



During the year one death has occurred among the Life 

 Members of the Society: Right Rev. Wm, M. Green, Bishop 

 of Mississippi, and one among the regular members. Col. 

 J. B. Wheeler. 



