Report of fJbrarian. 85 



portant scientific material that is not in a convenient, and 

 scarcely in an accessible, shape for reference. 



As these latest exchanges and pamphlets bring the re- 

 searches of science cjnite down to date, they are of great 

 importance to scientific stndents and the working members of 

 our Society, and at least one hundred volumes should be 

 bound and made accessible to use at once. 



Though we have quite a respectable library, as compared 

 with many other scientific associations in this country, yet we 

 occupy a very modest place beside some of the older organ- 

 izations in the East. I may cite two or three of them, by 

 way of comparison : 



The Franklin Institute, located in Philadelphia, has 35,015 

 bound volumes and 20,972 pamphlets. 



The Academy of Natural Sciences, of Philadelphia, has 

 30,831 bound volumes and 8,621 pamphlets. 



The E.ssex Institute, in Salem, Mass., has about 50,000 

 bound volumes and upwards of 100,000 pamphlets. 



It will thus be seen that our librar}- is comparatively small, 

 and we shall gladly welcome additions of scientific works from 

 whatever source, and thankfully acknowledge the donations. 



In conclusion, I desire to call the attention of those intelli- 

 gent members of our Society, who have no special scientific 

 aims or tastes, to the large amount of really interesting mate- 

 rial stowed away, in one form or another, upon the shelves of 

 our library. 



There are spirited sketches and artistic views, in well- 

 written and finely illustrated explorations and surveys, and 

 there are graphic descriptions of curious animal, vegetable 

 and mineral forms to be found in odd nooks and corners of 

 the earth, and there are presentations of some branches of 

 natural science in a style so attractive as to have the fascina- 

 tion of romance. 



It will pay 3'ou well to search out some of these precious 

 gems, partially buried in the dry and forbidding technicalities 

 of science, and read the thrilling story of nature, as told by 

 such masters as Herschel, Lyell and Tyndall, Darwan, Wal- 

 lace and Huxley, Humboldt and Helmholtz, Arago and Flam- 

 marion, Aga.ssiz, Gray and Newcomb, and the host of other 

 brilliant writers on various branches of natural science. 



Wm. H. Knight, Librarian. 



