BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 75 



fossils from the same locality in the possession of that gentleman, would undoubtedly 

 become the property of the Society, it being his expressed intention to provide that this 

 should be the case. 



The Curator of Entomology reported upon the great accession to the department in Dr. 

 Thaddeus W. Harris's collection of insects. The native specimens in this, he mentioned, 

 had a peculiar value, for they included many typical species described by himself, 

 S;iy, and other naturalists, and because of the completeness of the collection. It was 

 stated to contain 4838 specimens of 2241 species of Coleoptera, 181 specimens of 76 

 species of Orthoptera, 620 specimens of about 300 species of Hemiptera, 267 specimens 

 of 146 species of Neuroptera, 1125 specimens of 602 species of Hymenoptera, 1931 speci- 

 mens of 900 species of Lepidoptera, 796 specimens of 395 species of Diptera. In all 9758 

 specimens of 4660 species, besides quite a number not yet classified. The general collec- 

 tion was stated to be in good condition. 



The Curator of Comparative Anatomy, Dr. J. C. White, reported that the department 

 contained at this time the following specimens : crania 257, skeletons 88, membra disjecta 

 172, wet preparations 123, skins 43, dried preparations 10. Total 693. Many of these 

 were packed away and could not be put upon exhibition for want of room. The additions 

 during the year had been few, but were valuable. Donations had been made by Drs. 

 Kneeland, J. Mason Warren, E. S. Holden, J. C. Warren, Mr. C. B. Fessenden and Mr. J. 

 C. Reinhardt. Dr. White stated that upon taking charge of the department he found 

 the specimens almost without exception covered more or less with fungoid growths, the 

 mycelium of which penetrates and destroys the organic parts of the bones. The ligamen- 

 tous skeletons had also been injured by the ravages of Dermestes. The growth of these 

 fungi, of which three species had been detected by him, was caused by the dampness and 

 want of light and ventilation, unavoidable in the building. Dr. White hoped that h'e had 

 prevented further injury by carefully brushing the specimens and thoroughly washing 

 them with an acid solution of corrosive sublimate, strychnia and camphor. He had also 

 taken the precaution to place in each compartment dishes of chloride of calcium to absorb 

 the dampness. 



The Curator of Microscopy reported that such had been the drafts upon the crude 

 material belonging to the collection received from Dr. Bailey that he thought the time had 

 arrived when the kindness of the Society must be limited so far as related to donations 

 from it. What remained he thought would be wanted by the active members of the 

 Society in coming years for study. He advised, therefore, that there should be no further 

 disposal of it, except when required for special and important microscopic researches. 



Of the other departments nothing was stated important to present here. 



The changes made in the officers at the election were as follows: Samuel H. Scudder 

 was chosen Curator of Entomology in place of Alexander E. R. Agassiz ; F. W. Putnam 

 was chosen Curator of Ichthyology in place of Dr. Samuel Kneeland, Jr.; Albert Ordway 

 was chos:n Curator of Crustacea in place of Dr. H. R. Storer. 



In November, a plan having been proposed for a large building to accommodate both the 

 Horticultural Society and the Society of Natural History, a petition was presented to the 

 legislature asking the grant of one of the squares of land on the Back Bay for its erec- 

 tion, and another for the use of the contemplated -Institute of Technology. Great efforts 



