BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 83 



"We have recently set forth our claims upon the community for patronage. It should be 

 remembered that the public, though it does not formally set forth its claims upon us, has 

 them, and with a deeper interest in the study of nature than has been known before, 

 judges us with a severer scrutiny and by a higher standard than at any previous period. 

 So long as we make our collections useful and our studies conducive to the public good, 

 and thus show ourselves faithful to our trusts, we are justified in the belief that we may 

 confidently expect to receive hereafter, as we have received already, every necessary sup- 

 port and encouragement." 



Professors W. B. Rogers and Agassiz congratulated the Society upon the addition to 

 their means at such an opportune moment, and Dr. Augustus A. Gould offered the fol- 

 lowing resolutions, which were unanimously adopted : 



" Resolved, That the Society accepts with gratitude the donation of Dr. Wm. J. Walker 

 on the terms stipulated. 



" Resolved, That the accession of so munificent a sum to our funds at a moment when 

 further expansion with our actual resources must have been very limited, greatly encourages 

 us to new and more efficient exertion. 



" Resolved, That it shall be our diligent care that the avails from the donation shall be 

 applied prudently and practically towards the cultivation and diffusion of useful knowl- 

 edge ; specially aiming to modify the direction of our endeavors, as the spirit of the age 

 may from time to time indicate." 



The conditions upon which this donation was made have always been sacredly regarded 

 by the Society. 



During the session of the Legislature in the winter of 1860-61, strenuous efforts were 

 made by several members of the Society, and of the Institute of Technology, to obtain 

 the grant of land wanted for the use of each, particularly by Prof. Wm. B. Rogers and 

 Mr. M. D. Ross, which were finally successful, the grant of one square, so called, having 

 been made on certain conditions which seemed objectionable at first, but which turned out 

 to be of no detriment. Of this "square " one third was to be for the use of the Boston 

 Society of Natural History, the other two-thirds for the Mass. Institute of Technology. 



In March, it having been intimated that possibly the city might be willing to buy the 

 building of the Society in Mason Street, for the enlargement of the Normal School House 

 near to it, a committee consisting of Mr. Bouve, Mr. Binney, the Treasurer, and 

 Dr. Kneeland was' appointed to confer with the City Government on the subject. 



In April, the Treasurer with such other members as saw fit to join him, were 

 appointed a committee to solicit subscriptions for a building fund, and in the same month 

 a Building Committee was appointed consisting of President Wyman, Mr. Binney, Pro- 

 fessor Rogers, Dr. Jeffries and Mr. Bouve, to consider and propose a course of pro- 

 ceedings in relation to the new hall, accompanied by such general plan of grounds and 

 buildings as they might deem expedient, and to report from tune to time to the Soci- 

 ety, making no engagements without further authority. 



The reports of the Curators at the annual meeting in May present but little of 

 interest. Generally, complaint was made of want of room for the proper display of speci- 

 mens, and the expectation expressed that when this lack should be supplied there would 

 be a much greater disposition manifested to make donations. The Curator of Geology 



