140 



HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE 



Subject for 1866 : "The fertilization of plants by the agency of insects, in reference 

 both to cases where this agency is absolutely necessary, and where it is only accessory." 



No essays having been presented, or none deemed by the Council worthy of a prize, the 

 same subjects were proposed again for the years 1867 and 1868, but still without bringing 

 forth any response from writers. Other subjects were therefore proposed for the two sub- 

 sequent years, viz : 



For 1869 : " On the range of arctic and alpine plants in Northern America, with an 

 enumeration of species." 



For 1870 : "The reproduction and migration of Trichina spiralis." 



As with the case of previous subjects, neither of these last elicited any response, or any 

 of sufficient merit in the estimation of the Council to call for an award. It will be seen 

 later that those proposed for the immediately succeeding years were more successful in 

 calling forth essays upon them. 



The property of the Society at the end of this decade, besides the building, and the col- 

 lections and library which were of inestimable value, consisted of investments belonging 

 to the various funds amounting in the aggregate to $186,898.20 ; this included, however, 

 several bequests left under restrictions, a part of the income of which must be expended 

 only for special purposes, and can never be available for general uses or expenses. 



The library at this time had nearly doubled in size during the ten years, and consisted 

 of 9396 volumes, and 2677 pamphlets, as before stated. But if the members had cause to 

 rejoice at 'the material prosperity of the institution, they too had often cause to lament 

 the loss of faithful workers for its interests, many of whom had been companions in their 

 labors. Among those taken by death during the ten years were Dr. B. D. Greene, 

 Dr. Geo. Hayward, Mr. Francis Alger and Dr. Augustus A. Gould, all original members of 

 the Society ; Dr. Wm. J. Walker, its great benefactor ; Dr. Henry Bryant, Mr. Octavius 

 Pickering, Mr. Thomas Bulfinch, Mr. Horace Mann, Mr. Huntington Frothingham 

 Wolcott, Mr. Carleton Atwood Shurtleff and Capt. Joseph P. Couthouy. 



DECADE V. MAT, 1870 MAT, 1880. 



1870. The fifth decade commences with the office of President vacant, by the 

 resignation of Dr. Jeffries Wyman ; with Mr. Alpheus Hyatt, Custodian ; Rev. Joshua A. 

 Swan, Recording Secretary and Librarian ; Dr. Samuel L. Abbot, Corresponding Secre- 

 tary ; Mr. Edward Pickering, Treasurer ; Mr. F. G. Sanborn, Assistant in the Museum ; 

 Miss Lillias Blaikie, Assistant in the Library, and Mr. George Coles, Janitor. 



It will be recollected that at the annual meeting the Committees for the several depart- 

 ments of Comparative Anatomy, Mammals and Microscopy were not elected. At the first 

 meeting succeeding, the following persons were chosen to these respectively : 



Mammals. J. A. Allen, Thomas Waterman, Jr., M.D., J. B. S. Jackson, M.D. 



Comparative Anatomy. Thomas Dwight, M.D., Jeffries Wyman, M.D., J. C. White, 

 M.D. 



Microscopy. Edwin Bicknell, R. C. Greenleaf, B. Joy Jeffries, M.D. 



The following changes were made in the members of the Committees as elected at the 

 annual meeting : J. A. Allen was transferred from the Committee on Ornithology to that 



