Dec, 1901.] NATURAL 3CIE^fCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 741 



The following reports were ordered to be printed : 

 REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT. 



Upon the removal of the Academy to its present location in 

 1876, the President, Dr. W. S. W. Ruschenberger, prepared a 

 brief history of the institution, with a summary of its collections 

 and publications, which appeared in the popular guide to the 

 Museum in that year. 



Subsequently throughout his term of office, Dr. Ruschenberger 

 presented a President's annual report, the last appearing in the 

 Proceedings for 1881. 



His successors having discontinued this practice, there has been 

 no summarized account of the operations of the Academy during 

 the past twenty years, and it is my purpose, to present such a 

 resume in the following pages. 



During this period three members have occupied the President's 

 chair, Dr. Joseph Leidy, Gen. Isaac J. Wistar and Dr. Samuel G. 

 Dixon. William S. Vaux, Thomas Meehan, Henry C. McCook 

 and Arthur Erwin Brown have served as Vice-Presidents ; William 

 C. Henzey, Isaac C. Martindale, Charles P. Perot and George 

 Vaux, Jr., as Treasurers; George H. Horn and Benjamin Sharp 

 as Corresponding Secretaries, while Edward J. Nolan has contin- 

 ued as Recording Secretary and Librarian throughout the entire 

 period. 



To the membership there have been added 505 names, while 374 

 have been lost by resignation or death. Among the latter are 

 many of the Academy's staunchest supporters, to whom her present 

 prosperous condition is largely due, and many of her most brilliant 

 students, who by their labors have spread her reputation to aU 

 parts of the world. 



During this period the regular weekly meetings of the Academy 

 have been held, the attendance decreasing as natural history 

 became more and more specialized. Verbal communications of 

 importance have been made both by members and visitors, and 

 various explorers have by request presented reports of their expedi- 



