30 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE 



In June, at a meeting of the Council, it was voted that the Committee to whom 

 was referred the affairs relating to the will of the late Ambrose S. Courtis, be authorized 

 to complete the negotiations with the heirs of said Courtis on such terras as they 

 may deem expedient, and to receive all money accruing therefrom, to be deposited 

 in some bank for safe keeping. 



Before the close of the year, a settlement was made with the heirs of Mr. Courtis, 

 by which they were to be released from all obligations, upon the payment of $10,250. 

 For some reason not given, $10,000 were finally received. 



In October, Dr. Samuel Cabot resigned the office of Cabinet Keeper, and Mr. William 

 I. Bowditch was elected to the position, but as he preferred a month later to have 

 another substituted in his place, Dr. Samuel L. Abbot was chosen to succeed him. 



In November, a report was made upon the disposition of the money from the 

 Courtis bequest, and the members, feeling now that they could reasonably expend some- 

 thing towards meeting wants long felt : Voted, to procure such books as were most 

 needed for the library. They also appointed a committee to make an estimate of the 

 cost of mounting the Birds of Massachusetts in first rate order. 



In December, the librarian proposed that the meetings through the winter should be 

 held once a week at his room opposite the hall, provided he should be made a life 

 member, and the expenses of the lights and fuel be paid for by the Society. This offer 

 was accepted, and the meetings were accordingly held there. 



It is pleasant to notice in looking over the proceedings of the Society, that it was 

 enabled sometimes to aid others in scientific measures to serve the public, as it has often 

 done in more recent periods. At one time we find Prof. Hitchcock appealing to it for 

 information concerning soils ; at another the specimens of the Cabinet were solicited by 

 Prof. Silliman for use in illustrating his great course of lectures before the Lowell Insti- 

 tute. It is unnecessary to add that these calls were cheerfully met. 



1840. In February, of this year, the Society was saddened by the death of one of its 

 original founders and most interested members, Mr. Simon E. Greene. This gentleman 

 was a business man of great activity. In early years he was an officer in one of the city 

 banks, but afterwards, and until the close of his life, was a broker in whom the utmost 

 confidence was placed. All of his contemporaries represent him as a man high minded 

 and honorable in all his dealings, and of much public spirit. He was a nephew of 

 Gen. Simon Elliott, and from him derived his name. In the formation of the Society he 

 was not only one of the original members, but was the secretary of the first meeting of 

 gentlemen favorable to the formation of a society for the study of natural history, which 

 was held at Dr. Walter Channing's house. He was afterwards appointed, with Dr. Amos 

 Binney, Jr., to call upon such persons as it was thought would like to be associated in 

 the project and obtain their signatures. At the first election of officers for the new 

 Society, Mr. Greene was chosen Treasurer, which office he held for two years, when he 

 resigned, receiving the thanks of the Society for the services rendered by him. At a 

 meeting held February 12, the President feelingly alluded to the loss the Society had 

 sustained, stating that Mr. Greene had a great love for the study of nature, more partic- 

 ularly for the departments of Ornithology and Botany ; that he had ever shown himself 



