SYNOPSIS OF PROCEEDINGS. 267 



lieved that considerable progress can be made toward making up an 

 approximately complete collection. In gathering these and other 

 natural history specimens, our young friends of the Agassiz Associa- 

 tions may be depended upon for considerable aid, and if their pursuit 

 of the study should develop a competent taxidermist it would certainly 

 supply a long-felt need. 



Nothing has been done during the year in mound explorations in 

 the interest of the Academy, except that prosecuted by Captain Hall 

 along the Lower Mississippi, the collections from which have been 

 added to the Academy museum and are referred to in the above 

 enumeration. There remains plenty of that work to do within the 

 range of fifty to seventy-five miles of us; but for that purpose some 

 money is required, and it is only upon occasions not very frequent that 

 the means can be secured. This work is, for us, of the utmost im- 

 portance, in order to maintain our reputation for activity and persever- 

 ance, as well as for the actual knowledge to be gained. 



For a better classification and arrangement in some departments — 

 especially the minerals — a great improvement could be made, and 

 some valuable space saved, if it were possible to remove restrictions 

 requiring the individual collections to be kept as such. Instead of 

 this, the specimens could then be better classified, and space in cabi- 

 nets need not be taken up by duplicates. 



I would not recommend that the increase of our museum greatly 

 beyond its present extent should be a principal object, except, first, 

 completed local collections, and, second, systematic, classified series 

 in the various departments adapted especially for study, and kept for 

 reference and use by members and by classes from the public schools, 

 but not to be taken from the building. \y pp Pratt Curator. 



REPORT OF PUBLICATION COMMITTEE. 



Volume V. of the Academy Proceedings was commenced, and a 

 few pages printed, in 1886, as stated in last annual report. During 

 the early months of the past year, all effort was directed toward raising 

 a fund to secure the current expenses of the Academy; and later, the 

 dark shadow of death in our midst sadly interrupted the work of the 

 Committee, so that the printing of the volume was still delayed, and 

 no subscriptions received until late in November. Nevertheless, all 

 expense thus far incurred has been met, save a loan of one hundred 

 dollars, without interest, which was kindly offered for the completion 

 of Volume IV., and which the Committee assumed the responsibility 

 of accepting. To carry on the work, it is important that members 

 and others should promptly hand in their subsciiptions. 



Funds to provide a suitable portrait of the late Prof. I). S. Sheldon 

 have been secured through the generosity of his former pupils and 

 friends, and a biographical sketch is in process of preparation, and 

 both will appear in Volume V. 



Many valuable papers intended for this volume have been received 

 during the year, of which the following — filling sixty-four pages — have 

 been printed : 



