106 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE 



As Treasurer of the Courtis Fund he reported that it consisted of an amount due from 



the Society itself, borrowed $8,339.71 



and a mortgage note of 3,000.00 



As Treasurer of the Bulfinch Street Estate he reported receipts amounting to . . $1.073.00 

 And expenditures of 



Showing a balance on hand of $731.61 



As Treasurer of the Walker fund, he reported receipts amounting to ...... $1,226.97 



And expenditures of 1,080.02 



Showing a balance of $146.95 



The balances in his hands belonging to the Bulfinch Estate and Walker fund amount- 

 ed to $878.56 



Balance due him on general appropriations, 397.05 



Actual balance in his hands of all the accounts rendered, $481.51 



He presented estimates of the value of the property belonging to the Society at different times for pur- 

 poses of comparison; in May, 1862, the value was $85,001.49; in May, 1863, $133,497.80 ; in May, 1864, 

 $142,512.47; at the present time, $167,881.51. 



These estimates included the buildings and furniture, but not the library or the cabinet. 



In retiring, the Treasurer said he would not undertake to estimate the value of our prop- 

 erty, in the estate of our late benefactor, Dr. Wm. J. Walker. It was sufficient for him to 

 know that in resigning the office of Treasurer, he left to his successor the pleasing task of 

 showing on the next anniversary, means of usefulness beyond what the most sanguine 

 expectations could have looked for. 



On behalf of the Building Committee, Mr. Bouve" announced that the full cost of the new 

 building, including commissions for architectural services, but not including the cases, had 

 been $94,393.80, and that the cases had cost $10,003.36, making the total amount 

 expended $104,397.16, a result with which the Society had reason to be gratified, consider- 

 ing that such a structure with the cases would have cost much more if the construction had 

 been delayed, by reason of the greatly enhanced prices of material and labor. With this 

 report presented as a final one, the committee asked the Society to accept the building and 

 discharge them from further duty, which was done with warm thanks. 



By the Custodian's report it appeared that much work had been done in the several 

 departments towards perfecting the arrangement of the specimens and adopting means for 

 the safety of such as were perishable. Not without great regret, however, did the members 

 learn of the extent of the injury done to the collections by the ravages of insects, and of the 

 absolute unfitness of the cases throughout the building for the preservation of the speci- 

 mens from dust and destructive vermin. Already had it become apparent that there yet 

 would have to be a large outlay in substituting other cases before the treasures of the 

 cabinet could be regarded as secure. It had not been recognized when those now in use 

 were constructed, that they should be made practically air tight in order to render them 

 suitable for what they were designed. 



The Library now contained 11,191 volumes and pamphlets. The additions through the 

 year had been 1319, or between 11 and 12 per cent. The greater part of the increase 

 was stated to have come from exchange with kindred institutions. 



