180 Reviews. — Bost. Journal of J^atiiral History. 



is si'atif) ing to be able to record the liberal donations of Charles 

 Amory, Esq., B. D. Greene, Esq., of the Hon. John D.ivis, who 

 contributed fit'ty-tsvo volumes of standard works on Natural History, 

 most of them liotanical; the bequest of Simon E. Greene, Esq., one 

 of the original members, who left to the Society all the works in his 

 library on Natural History, amounting to 38 volumes, as well as his 

 large collection of Shells and Minerals; the great work of Audubon on 

 American Ornithology, which was presented by the liberality of Amos 

 Lawrence, B. D. Greene, S. A. Eliot, David Eckiey, G. B. Emerson, 

 Chas. Amory, Win. Ingalls,'G. C. Shattuck, G. C. Shattuck,Jr,, Mrs, 

 Shattuck, and Geo. Parkman; and the very rare and valuable work 

 of Olivier on the Natural History of Insects, with the Supplement by 

 Voet, in 10 quarto volumes, colored plates, which was purchased of 

 Prof. N. M. Hentz, together with his entire collection of Insects, 

 numbering about 30,000 specimens, by the subscriptions of Drs. 

 James Jackson, John Randall, B. D. Greene; Francis C. Gray, 

 Horace Gray, Jonathan Phillips and David Henshaw, Esquires, and 

 other liberal gentlemen, who prefer that their names should not be 

 divulged; and above all, the princely gift of a superb copy of Audu- 

 bon's Birds of America, full bound in Russia leather and gilt, the 

 most expensive copy in the country, from the Hon. Thomas H. 

 Perkins. In consequence of this last donation, the consent of the 

 donors of the duplicate copy was obtained to exchange it for other 

 standard works, especially works on Ornithology. This was done 

 at nearly the original cost of the work, and the number of volumes 

 in the library was thereby greatly increased. 



Another and a permanent source for the constant increase of the 

 library, is the legacy of the late Ambrose Courtis, Esq., of which 

 mention will be made hereafter. 



When we consider how essential a library is to the study and ar- 

 rangement of every department of the Cabinet, it cannot but be felt 

 that the members have done wisely to contribute largely towards it. 

 It is of vital importance that the naturalist, who is euijaged in the 

 investigation of any subject, should be able to know all that has been 

 written upon his subject. Scientific books are expensive, and no 

 man among us can promise himself such a library as he may need- 

 It is the part of wisdom and interest, therefore, to collect the vol- 

 umes, which are scattered here and there, into one connnon stock. 

 They will thus be vastly more useful than when shut up in private 

 libraries. 



Any person may become a member of the Society. The 

 privileges of the members are, free access to the cabinet at 

 all times on appHcation to any member of the council — the use 

 of the library — and admission to all lectures given in the name 

 of the Society. Fifty dollars, paid at any one time, consti- 

 tutes one a patron; the immediate members are subject to an 

 annual assessment of three dollars, and any member paying 

 thirty dollars at one time is exempt from future assessments. 



