BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 197 



through great economy had succeeded in accomplishing its purpose of limiting expen- 

 diture within its income. 



At the election of officers for the ensuing year, Theodore Lyman was chosen on the 

 Committee for Fishes and Reptiles in place of Dr. Samuel Kneeland, resigned, and Jules 

 Vlarcou was left off the Committee on Palaeontology, by reason of prolonged absence 

 tbroad. 



Previous to the adjournment of the annual meeting, Mr. Charles J. Sprague, in view of 

 ,he great aid given him by Prof. Tuckerman, in enabling him to put on exhibition a very 

 jonsiderable portion of the Cryptogamous plants of the Society, offered the following res- 

 olution, which was passed unanimously: 



" That the thanks of the Society be conveyed to Prof. Edward Tuckerman, for the 

 voluntary, generous and invaluable service he has rendered it by elaborating and naming 

 the Lichen herbarium of Dr. Thomas Taylor, now forming a part of its collection ; a 

 service which no one in this country but he could have performed, and which gives to the 

 herbarium an authentic value it could not otherwise have possessed." 



At the Council meeting subsequent to that of the annual meeting of the Society, the 

 Trustees reported that they had made an estimate of the probable income of the Society 

 "or the year entered upon, showing that not much over $9000 could be relied upon as 

 available for general purposes. Considering, however, that there would be a call for the 

 Dayment of insurance on property for five years, amounting perhaps to one thousand 

 lollars, they advised that appropriations be made to the extent of $9500 in order to cover 

 ;his item. 



The Society being at considerable expense of time and money in carrying out the inten- 

 tion of the legislature of the State in giving it authority to designate persons who should 

 have the right to kill birds for scientific purposes, voted to charge for the certificates so 

 issued, the sum of two dollars each. 



Walker Prizes. The subject proposed for the Walker prizes was the same practically 

 as that of 1876, two years before, and upon which no essay had been presented, viz : 

 " An original investigation of the structure, development and mode of life of one or more 

 of the fungi which injuriously affect useful plants." 



This second attempt to interest writers in treating upon this subject was not successful 

 in eliciting essays, as none were presented. 



In August of this year, the Society lost a young member by death, to whom it seems 

 fitting to pay a tribute of affectionate remembrance by a brief mention of his life, and of 

 the interest manifested by him in natural history. 



Gurdon Saltonstall, the son of Henry and Georgiana C. Saltonstall, was born in Salem, 

 on the 15th day of August, 1856, soon after which the family made Boston their winter 

 residence. Being obliged, by trouble in his eyes, to leave school, and having at a very 

 early age exhibited a strong inclination to acquaint himself with objects of natural history, 

 he was led, in January 1871, when but fifteen years of age, to become a member of the So- 

 ciety, in the work of which he was exceedingly interested, pi-ottering his services in aid of 

 the Custodian and the working members, and identifying himself with their labors in 

 almost every department. In turn, he was aided by them in the acquisition of the knowl- 

 edge he sought, and thus the association was of advantage to both himself and the Society. 



