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which he left to its library. Mr. Brown's taste for the beautiful, 

 is admirably exemplified in his selection of the department of 

 Ornithology as his favorite study, and the volumes he has left to 

 the Society, in his last will, prove not only the excellence of his 

 judgment in their selection, but also a most liberal spirit in the 

 purchaser, of such valuable books in his favorite departments of 

 science. Those who knew him well, say that he had a keen 

 relish for the beautiful in nature, and that he enjoyed especially 

 the observation of the habits of birds ; and they attribute much 

 of his cultivated taste to this devotion to one of the most lovely 

 departments of Natural History. In his profession he was an 

 astute critic in judging of the character and value of books, and 

 those whose opinion is entitled to respect say, that there are few 

 men in the country who could have been more safely trusted 

 with carte llancJie in the selection of a good library. The 

 Committee beg leave to offer the following resolutions : — 



Resolved, That the Boston Society of Natural History is 

 deeply sensible of the great loss it has met with in the decease 

 of its eminent Patron and benefactor, the late James Brown, 

 Esq., for whose numerous donations made during his lifetime, 

 the Society has been under obligations, as also for the kindly 

 exertions often made by him to persuade others to aid in the 

 increase of the Society's means for the promotion of science. 



Resolved, That this Society, having received from the Execu- 

 tors of the will of their late Patron, a number of magnificent folios 

 on Ornithology and other departments of Natural History, which 

 he had bequeathed to their library, contemplate this, one of the 

 last acts of his life, with sentiments of deep emotion and grati- 

 tude, as evincing the friendship and kind consideration of the 

 testator toward this Society and his generous and kind apprecia- 

 tion of their wants. 



Resolved, That a copy of the above preamble and resolutions 

 be transmitted to the family of the deceased. 



Resolved, That the thanks of the Boston Society of Natural 

 History be presented to Mrs. James Brown for her generous 

 donation of a portrait of the distinguished Naturalist, Thomas 

 Nuttall. 



