19G 



Reports of Curators were read as follows : — 



The Curator of Comparative Anatomy would respectfully 

 report, that the Cabinet of this department came under his care 

 during the present year, immediately after the resignation of Dr. 

 Samuel Kneeland, by whom it was left in excellent order, the 

 different specimens being in good condition, and the larger pro- 

 portion of them labelled. 



During the present year some valuable additions have been 

 made ; among them, three Indian Crania, from Dr. J. C. Nott ; 

 four crania from the East Indies, from Dr. Francis Minot ; and 

 two crania, one Chinese and the other Loo Choo, deposited by 

 Dr. J. N. Borland. 



Several skeletons, prepared by Mr. Samuels, have also been 

 added to the collection by his donation. 



The Curator would call the attention of the Society to the fact, 

 that the Cabinet of Comparative Anatomy has been somewhat 

 injured, and will doubtless be still more injured, by the dampness 

 of the cases in which it is contained. This evil is the result of 

 the external circumstances of the building, for which there seems 

 to be no remedy so long as it is screened from the light and heat 

 of the sun, and from a free ventilation, by the neighboring struc- 

 tures, unless the Society are willing to incur much additional 

 expense in heating and other care of their collections. The 

 Curator would further add, that the Cabinet under his care is 

 now too large to be well displayed in its present accommodations, 

 so as to render it as useful as it should be, practically, to scien- 

 tific students. 



The Curator of Ichthyology reported, that the department of 

 Ichthyology has undergone but little change during the past year. 

 Two specimens only have been added to the collection. 



The Curator of Conchology reported, that in the department 

 under his charge but little progress has been made during the 

 past year, except in the preparation of specimens for the Cabinet. 



Three hundred species have been labelled, and the greater 

 part of them have been placed in labelled phials, ready for the 

 Cabinet, and a catalogue of the same furnished to the Society. 



