98 THREE KINGDOMS. 



to take active part in the work of the chapter, to join us 

 nevertheless, and thereby encourage the growth of it. 



It is pleasing to note, that, although many strange faces 

 have joined us, still the sociability and good feeling which al- 

 ways prevailed among us have not abated, but increased. Then 

 there was the celebration of our fifth anniversary, and at the 

 same time that of Agassiz's birthday. Mr. A. W. Milher sent 

 us an invitation to meet at his house, our old headquarters, 

 which we thankfully accepted. The members enjoyed a very 

 pleasant evening; many speeches were made and toasts 

 offered. We have had during this year nineteen lectures and 

 discussions, all of which were of an instructive and inter- 

 esting nature. A number of evenings have been profitably 

 spent under "Notes and News," where we exchanged our 

 knowledge of interesting things, which were too short to 

 make up a lecture. The members can undoubtedly recall the 

 pleasant times they have had this summer at the chapter 

 excursions to Mamaroneck; the two-days' excursion to Mor- 

 ristown, and, on invitation from the Torrey Club, to Annan- 

 dale, Staten Island; the moth-hunts to East New York, which, 

 I am sorry to say, are the last, because the woods have been 

 sold, arid the privileges we there enjoyed are at an end. Then 

 the excursions of the Curator's Committee, to which all mem- 

 bers were welcome, to Tarrytown Heights, Staten Island, 

 Perth Amboy, and other places, were very pleasant. Quite 

 an improvement has been made by the Curator's Committee 

 on our old way of choosing subjects for lectures, by preparing 

 a calendar for each month, which is sent to all the members, 

 thus also giving the lecturer more time to prepare. The 

 Curator's Committee have also made Tuesday evenings an in- 

 teresting feature. These evenings are spent in preparing 

 specimens for the cabinet, and usually one of the curators 

 gives a short lecture. 



One Tuesday evening of each month is set aside for what 

 they called "exhibition night," when they show and explain the 

 specimens to the friends of members. The cabinet is appar- 

 ently in excellent condition: it contains about twenty-two 

 hundred different kinds of specimens, also many miscellane- 

 ous curiosities and many instruments. We have received 

 during the year numerous kind donations, of which I make, 

 mention of one hundred specimens from the disbanded Fair- 

 view Chapter, and nineteen specimens of marble from Mr. 



