HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE 



EDWARD PICKERING, Esq., Chairman of Committee of Nomination. 



Dear Sir : Having been informed that the Committee on the Nomination of President 

 for the Boston Society of Natural History are disposed to offer my name as a candidate for 

 that office, I beg leave to say to the Committee, through you, that however highly I con- 

 sider the honor, I cannot consent to become a candidate, since my health, which is often 

 impaired, especially in the winter, might be inadequate to the very important duties and 

 constant attention required of the first officer of the Society. So far as my health and 

 ability will permit, I shall always be happy to labor for the interests of the Society, and 

 whatever influence I can exert will be in its favor. 



A younger man than myself I believe would be able to serve the Society much better 

 than I can, and my personal preference would be in favor of the promotion of the Second 

 Vice-President, Mr. Thomas T. Bouve, to the Presidency of the Society. 



Most cordially thanking the Committee for their favorable consideration, I have the 

 honor to be Your obedient servant, 



CHARLES T. JACKSON. 



Under these circumstances the Committee proposed for the office of President of the 

 Society the name of the Second Vice-President, Thomas T. Bouve. 



The report was accepted. 



Dr. C. F. Winslow moved that the Society proceed to ballot for the candidate nominated. 



This led to considerable discussion, there being the feeling on the part of some present, 

 that the proposed action was hasty, and that no harm could result from postponing the 

 election to a future period. A ballot, however, was ordered by a large majority of the 

 members, which resulted in the election of Mr. Thomas T. Bouve to the Presidency of the 

 Society, there being but two dissenting votes. 



Early in this official year a letter was received from Prof. Runkle of the Institute of 

 Technology, expressing a desire for the cooperation of the Boston Society of Natural 

 History with the Institute. This was warmly responded to by the Council, and the Presi- 

 dent, Mr. Bouve, was requested to write an answer to Professor Runkle expressive of the 

 readiness of the Society to meet his wishes, it being thought that an arrangement might 

 be made which would be of service to both institutions in the furtherance of the purpose 

 each had in view, to extend a knowledge of science in the community. 



A plan was subsequently adopted by which the Institute had permission to use the halls 

 of the Museum and the collections for the instruction of its students, subject to such 

 restrictions as the Council might impose for the preservation of the specimens, it being 

 understood that the Society should be paid a certain sum therefor, and that the Institute 

 should deposit the collections and charts of the late Prof. H. D. Rogers with the Society, 

 grant the use of the Huntington Hall for lectures, if required, and contribute specimens 

 of natural history towards an educational series. Under this arrangement, Dr. Samuel 

 Kneeland delivered several lectures on Zoology in the lecture room of the Society the 

 first year, and the Custodian delivered a course on Palaeontology. 



It is well, perhaps, before proceeding to detail further the doings of the Society, to 

 dwell at some length upon the necessity of a change in the management of its inter- 

 ests, which had led primarily to the election of Mr. Hyatt as Custodian, and subsequently 

 to the adoption of a more defined policy in its administration. It is manifestly unjust to 



