BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 61 



1854. A vote passed by the Society in March of this year, shows that the members 

 were already indulging the hope of yet better accommodations than those of the struc- 

 ture so recently purchased and adapted for their use. A thousand dollars having been 

 received from the estate of the late Hon. Thos. II. Perkins, subscribed by him towards the 

 building now occupied by the Society, but not so appropriated, it was ordered that this 

 sum be invested by the Treasurer as a commencement of a fund to be called the Building 

 Fund, and that the income from it be annually added to the principal. 



The Society had an opportunity at this time to perform a graceful act in helping their 

 unfortunate brethren of the Portland Society of Natural History, which had lately lost the 

 whole of its valuable collection by fire. A vote was passed, that a complete set of the 

 Journal of the Society be presented to the Portland Society, and another, that a series of 

 duplicate shells belonging to this Society, be presented to the Portland Society, whenever 

 they are prepared to select and receive them. 



It is sad to know that by a second great fire a few years afterwards, the recip'ents of 

 these donations again lost their entire collection. 



At the annual meeting the Reports of the Curators were quite satisfactory, though the 

 donations through the year were not numerous. 



The Botanical department had received some additions of value from Prof. Asa Gray, 

 Mr. B. F. Kendall and the Curator. These, with others obtained by exchange, had 

 added about 800 specimens to the collection. 



The department of Oology was reported as now having about 240 specimens of eggs, 

 belonging to 165 species. 



The department of Geology had been enriched by the splendid collection of the Foot- 

 marks of Animals upon the Red Sandstone of the Connecticut Valley, obtained by 

 purchase, and by the donation to it of a series of Silurian fossils. 



The Curator of Herpetology reported that this department now contained about 480 

 specimens, of which 50 were Chelonians, 227 Serpents, 122 Saurians, and 81 Batrachians. 



The Librarian reported a considerable increase of bound volumes and pamphlets. 

 Among the most valuable works presented to the Society was the splendid one by 

 Geoffroy St. Hilaire and Cuvier, entitled " Histoire Naturelle des Mammiferes," three 

 volumes finely bound, from the Hon. Francis C. Gray. 



Upon the election of officers for the ensuing year, Dr. Samuel L. Abbot was chosen Cor- 

 responding Secretary in place of Mr. J. Elliot Cabot; Dr. Benj. S. Shaw, Recording Sec- 

 retary, in place of Dr. Sanniel L. Abbot ; Dr. Henry Bryant, Curator of Ornithology, in 

 place of Dr. Samuel Cabot, Jr.; Dr. Jeffries Wyman, Curator of Herpetology, in place of 

 Dr. Horatio R. Storer. 



This year the Society lost one of its most useful and active members, and science one 

 of its most ardent votaries, in the death of Dr. Waldo Irving Burnett. To characterize 

 his ability as wonderful, and his achievements as extraordinary, is to speak moderately of 

 one who in the short life allotted him had manifested such knowledge, and accomplished 

 so much in scientific research. To express all concerning him that his memory deserves, 

 would require too much space for this volume ; but the reader who may desire to learn 

 more than is here presented, will find a full and delightful tribute to his worth and ser- 



