2 20 DAVKNPOKT ACADKMV OK NATURAI, SCIKNCKS. 



growth. For its greater usefulness, however, a catalogue is very 

 much needed. Perhaps the best, because constantly the most com- 

 plete, would be a card catalogue, bringing together all treatises and 

 articles on each subject for convenient reference. In this age of 

 many books, some such labor-saving device in the interest of the reader 

 is a necessity for the accomplishment of thorough work, and if once 

 com[)leted to date, such a catalogue would not be difficult to keep up. 

 That the library has attained to its present quite creditable propor- 

 tions is largely due, as you well know, to the publication of our 



PROCEEDINGS, 



and if it is still to grow, the iniblication must be steadily maintained. 

 Only through it can we be kept on the exchange list of other scientific 

 institutions. During the ])ast year Part II. of the current volume has 

 been published, and the closing or memorial part, in honor of the 

 memory of my lamented i)redecessor, is nearing completion. Owing 

 to the scarcity of means for pu.shing the work, however, I regret to 

 say that some important i^apers have been reluctantly withdrawn by 

 their authors to secure earlier publication elsewhere. Such a necessity 

 ought not to exist. While it would be unwise and unscientifrc for us to 

 Ije more concerned in issuing books than in gathering material worthy 

 to fill them, neither should we err on the other side and lose valuable 

 material by delay. 



The report of the chairman of the Publishing Committee shows 

 funds available, lacking only about $ioo, sufficient for the completion 

 of Volume III. This deficit, I trust, will soon be made up. Thus far 

 our publications — Volumes I., II., and III., inclusive — have cost an 

 aggregate of about $3,000; an amount to be offset, however, by fully 

 $1,000 cash return, besides much more than double as much in value 

 of books received in exchange; so that, to say nothing of its intrinsic 

 worth, the publication of proceedings has ])roved a financial success. 

 I would, however, suggest for your consideration the propriety of 

 adopting a somewhat modified plan when we shall be ready to begin 

 the publication of Volume IV. Inasmuch as the mere business record 

 is of little interest outside our own membership, would it not be better 

 to publish this only at intervals of several years, meanwhile issuing, in 

 separate sheets, from time to time as they are i)resented, such impor- 

 tant papers as may be received? These, consecutively paged, could 

 be brought together into volumes of determinate size, for which sub- 

 scrii)tions might be taken in advance. Such a method, I believe, is 

 pursued by many similar societies, and is generally preferred by au- 

 thors, since their work is thus brought more i)romptly before the pub- 

 lic. l>ut, by whatever i)lan it may be carried on, I trust the uncpies- 

 tioned importance to the Academy of maintaining the jniblication will 

 call forth effort sufficient to that end. 



'I'HK 'IRKASLIRKK's REPORT 



for the |)ast fiscal year, independent of the publication receipts and 

 expenses, but including the new burden of Curator's salary, shows 



