41 



dition and prospects. He enforced the necessity of more 

 ample accommodations for the museum, and recommended 

 that an appeal should be made to the liberality of the public, 

 with a view to raise the sum of ^ 30,000. In aid of such 

 an appeal, he gave a short history of the Society, showing 

 how much it had accomplished, how great its influence had 

 been on the cultivation of the Natural Sciences in New 

 England, the extent of its necessities, and the nature of its 

 claims on the friends of learning in the city and State. 

 This address, having been printed in a separate form, is 

 omitted here. 



Professor Charles Brooks, then read a discourse on the 

 History of Philosophical Zoology, from the earliest times to 

 the present day. 



The Reports of the Curators and Librarian were then 

 read, showing a respectable increase in every department of 

 the museum and in the library. 



The Report of the Treasurer exhibited the financial con- 

 dition of the Society as follows : 



Amount of investment for permanent fund, 

 Cash on hand, ...... 



Total, 



The amount of admission fees and annual assess- 

 ments, received during the year, is, 



The amount of ordinary expenses is. 



Deficiency supplied from income of permanent 

 fund, ....... 



Add deficiency of former years. 



Total amount diverted, from income appropriated 



to the library and museum, . . . $470 10 



A letter from John J. Dixwell, Treasurer, was read, de- 

 clining a reelection, and concluding in the following words : 



" I cannot retire from the office which I have held during the 

 past six years, without expressing my warmest thanks for the 



PROCEEDINGS B. S. N. H. 6 MAY, 1845. 



