228 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE 



his exertions also the Society owes its fine collection of eggs and nests, and also the New 

 England collection of birds. This last he would have undoubtedly made complete had he 

 lived a year or two longer. 



Some work had been done in arranging and labelling several of the groups of birds, by 

 Mr. Henshaw, assisted by Miss Washburn. 



The terse remarks made by the Custodian upon the mammals need no abbreviation or 

 variation. They are therefore given verbatim : " The less said about the mammals the 

 better. They are a disgrace to the institution, but there is no way of getting a respectable 

 collection except by buying specimens, and this is impossible for us." 



In the department of Botany the Custodian stated that considerable progress had been 

 made towards the formation of a synoptical collection of plants, so that each order and 

 some of the sub-order* s shall be represented by one species which will be mounted, framed, 

 and appropriately labelled. Already ninety specimens, representing eighty-five orders 

 and sub-orders had been finished. The arrangements of the general collection according 

 to Bentham and Hooker's Genera Plantarum had progressed under the direction of Mr. 

 Cummings, and much had been done towards supplying deficiencies in this collection. 



It had been the habit of the Custodian during the vacation period of the summer 

 months to pass much time in dredging and fishing off the coast, with the purpose of ob- 

 taining for the Society specimens necessary for the completion of the New England collec- 

 tions, and in this work he had been aided by assistants in the Museum and others. Of the 

 labors of the previous season he thus speaks : " The summer of 1879 was spent at Annis- 

 quam by the Custodian and a party consisting of Mr. Van Vleck, Mr. E. G. Gardiner and 

 Mr. E. R. Warren. The collecting was more successful than during the previous season, 

 but still the need of a large boat and greater facilities is imperative." To supply this need, 

 the Custodian intended to have another and more capacious boat ready for use before an- 

 other summer. 



The Laboratory. In this department there had been much accomplished of satisfying 

 character. Instruction had been given as usual to classes from the Boston University and 

 the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Besides these another class of twenty-six 

 persons, all teachers except four, had entered upon a course which is to last for two win- 

 ters, or about one hundred hours, two hours being devoted to it every Saturday morning. 

 A small class of advanced students have been taking a course in biology, given by the 

 assistant, Mr. Van Vleck. 



Teachers' School of Science. It will be remembered that at the time of the last annual 

 meeting of the Society, and when the report for the previous year was presented, the 

 very successful course of lectures to the teachers then in progress was not quite com- 

 pleted. Those given by the Custodian were soon after brought to a satisfactory close, and 

 a series of five on mineralogy followed, delivered by Mr. Burbank. These were very 

 instructive, and the interest in them was shown by the average attendance being kept up 

 to the last. A geological excursion by the lecturer and a part of the teachers was made 

 to Marblehead after the course was finished. 



The report of the Secretary, Mr. Burgess, was very gratifying, giving as it did statistics 

 showing much activity and progress in the several departments mentioned. 



Of members, twenty-six Associate had been elected during the year, but no Corporate, 



