BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 55 



In reaching the end of the second decade of the existence of the Society, some men- 

 tion will now be made of what has not been before presented, respecting the attendance 

 of members at the meetings. 



In the year ending May, 1841, the average number was about 11. For the year 1842, 

 12, for the year 1843, 10, for the year 1844, 11, for the year 1845, 11, for the year 1846, 

 9, for the year 1847, 11, for the year 1848, 18, for the year 1849, 18, for the year 1850, 

 25. 



It should be borne in mind that meetings were held then in the summer months as well 

 as at other seasons of the year, when very many of the members would be likely to be 

 away from the city. The average attendance from this cause, was unavoidably less than it 

 would have been if meetings had been omitted in the hot season. There were, however, 

 very rarely more than from fifteen to twenty present until the building in Mason street 

 was occupied by the Society. The average attendance then increased very much, as the 

 figures show, and during the last year mentioned it had more than doubled that of any 

 one of the first seven, and it was not uncommon to have present over thirty members. 

 This increased attendance arose largely from the interest added to the proceedings by the 

 presence of such distinguished men as Agassiz, Desor, Wm. B. Rogers and others, who 

 took an active part in them. Those whose names appear the most frequently as making 

 communications at the meetings during the first five years of the decade are Drs. Gould, 

 Storer, Wyman, Cabot, S. L. Abbot, C. T. Jackson, J. B. S. Jackson, Binney, and Messrs. 

 Teschemacher, Emerson and Bouve*; during the last five years Drs. Gould, Wyman, C. T. 

 Jackson, Storer, Kneeland, J. B. S. Jackson, Burnett, Bacon and Cabot; Profs. Agassiz 

 and Rogers; Messrs. Teschemacher, Desor, J. D. Whitney, Ayres, Alger and Bouve. 



Addresses were made at the Annual Meetings of 1841, 1842, 1843, 1844, 1845, 1847, 

 1848, and 1850. 



Donations were made to the several departments frequently, but to less extent than 

 during the first ten years. The collection of Herpotology was enriched by many speci- 

 mens from Dr. F. W. Cragin of Surinam ; that of Ornithology by many from Dr. Cragin 

 also, and by some from Dr. G. A. Bcthune ; that of Entomology by insects from Dr. Sav- 

 age of Cape Palmas ; that of Mineralogy by about 200 fine specimens from Francis Alger ; 

 that of Comparative Anatomy by many anatomical preparations from Dr. Jeffries Wyman ; 

 and that of Icthyology by fishes from J. G. Anthony of Cincinnati, Dr. F. W. Cragin of 

 Surinam, and Capt. N. E. Atwood of Provincetown. 



The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions presented many shells and 

 plants, and Dr. Morton, Rev. Mr. Bachman, Mr. Audubon and many others, presented 

 books. 



The increase of the Library during the ten years had been from about 600 volumes to 

 upwards of 3000. 



The financial condition of the Society was not much better than at the commencement 

 of the decade. The income derived from assessments and from the funded property had 

 sufficed for its ordinary expenditures, and there remained a small balance of cash in the 

 Treasury. Yet its means remained far from adequate to provide for the necessary care 

 and preservation of its collections. 



