BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 53 



character. A fine scene, a good painting, or a noble action, would alike kindle his enthu- 

 siastic admiration. In truth we have lost from amongst us a presence which sanctified 

 communion by its purity ; a wisdom which was more than that of this world ; and a lov- 

 ing soul which we trust has found acceptance in the land of the pure and the holy. God 

 help us, that we may be as ready as was our brother, to bid adieu to present scenes of 

 action, when we are summoned hence to be no more here forever." 



All that was thus expressed before the Society of the character of Dr. Gay was recog- 

 nized as being true of him by his associates in the medical profession, and in other 

 Societies of which he was a member ; and by a large number of friends, among whom he 

 was respected and beloved. Dr. Gay was born in Boston, Feb. 16, 1803, and received his 

 education at Harvard College, being a member of the class of 1823. His attainments as 

 a chemist were of a high order. Judge Shaw, in a tribute to his memory before the 

 Academy of Arts and Sciences, of which he was a valued member, spoke of him as an 

 adept in medical jurisprudence, and as having a peculiar faculty of rendering scientific 

 principles and processes intelligible to a jury. s 



From annual reports of the Curators of the Museum, May 1, 1850, and of the other 

 officers of the Society, may be learned, so far as these give particulars, statements of the 

 conditions of the several departments, and what progress had been made during the two 

 decades now passed in the history of the Society. Unfortunately they are too brief to be 

 entirely satisfactory. 



The Ornithological department is mentioned as in good condition, free from insects, and 

 as improved by the substitution of many good, in place of bad specimens. The whole 

 number reported in the Cabinet was given as 1207. In the Geological department but little 

 change was reported as having occurred through the year. It may be stated, therefore, 

 that the collection at this time consisted of about 1000 specimens desirable for exhibition, 

 and about 500 duplicates. The Curator of Ichthyology reported the collection in his de- 

 partment to be in good condition, but gave no figures. As there were reported at the 

 previous annual meeting, 360 species, and a large number of donations had been received 

 during the year, there were probably about 400 species. 



The Curator of Entomology reported that there had been no material increase in his 

 department, and stated that he thought it more an object to take care of and to system- 

 atically arrange what specimens were already in the Cabinet, than to add to their number. 

 It may be presumed from this that there were about as many specimens in the Cabinet as 

 mentioned the previous year, viz : 14,000, comprising about 4000 species. 



The Curator of Comparative Anatomy reported many valuable additions, among others 

 the entire skeleton of the Manatee, then the only one in the country ; with the stuffed skin 

 also. This had been obtained and presented by the President. A fine skeleton of a male 

 moose had likewise been presented by him and had been beautifully mounted by Dr. Shurt- 

 leff. The number of specimens was not reported in this department, and as this had been 

 the case for several years, no statement as to how many there were can be made. 



The Curator of Mineralogy reported the accession of about 100 specimens to his de- 

 partment during the year, but made no mention of the entire number belonging to it. 

 Adding those received since the previous annual meeting to those then reported in the 



