33 



accommodation of the insects ; a few small cases under the windows, and one 

 or two more central cases. This amount of case room, in addition to the 

 present accommodations, would provide for the exhibition of the collections 

 of Natural History for a few years to come ; but in order to obtain room 

 enough for the whole of the rapidly increasing museum and library a building 

 occupying the whole of the land in the rear of Plummer Hall would be nec- 

 essary. In this connection, attention is also directed to the present very small 

 and insufficient accommodations for the meetings of the Society. 



Such propositions as these may seem as far too vast for the Institute to 

 undertake to carry out ; but when the great interest manifested in the Insti- 

 tute, both at home and abroad, and its widely acknowledged activity and Sci- 

 entific standing, is taken into consideration, it must convince the most skep- 

 tical that our Museum and Library have arrived at that condition when 

 they can no longer be regarded as of local importance alone ; and the large 

 correspondence, and the widely spread distribution of our Publications, is a 

 conclusive argument of the estimation in which the Institute is held, and of 

 its great influence. Applications have also been received from young men, 

 who wish to persue Natural History as a professional study, for positions as 

 students in the Institute, and as soon as proper accommodations and com- 

 petent instructors are provided, the direct educational work of the Institute 

 would be largely increased. 



Must another year pass without some decisive action being taken to 

 bring about the much desired and honorable position which we wish to main- 

 tain'? 



Mr. Cooke, the CURATOR OF RADIATA, reported that the collections 

 under his charge are in good condition, and have increased to such an ex- 

 tent as to outgrow the present limited accommodation. The Echinoderms 

 and Star fishes in particular are so crowded as to make it impossible to 

 properly arrange them. In many instances it has been necessary to place 

 specimens of different genera in the same bottle. Could the whole of the 

 centre case in which they are now placed be given up to them there would 

 be no more room than is required. 



Another great drawback, in the arrangement of the alcoholic specimens 

 of this department, is the want of jars for the Echinoderms and Star fishes, 

 which, to a certain extent, require to be made especially for this purpose, and 

 of works of reference for the identification of the specimens. This last, 

 however, is being gradually overcome, and could some means be found for 

 obtaining the requisite bottles, much could be done towards the final ar- 

 rangement of the collection: The two large cases occupied by the Corals 

 and Sponges are now much crowded, and great difficulty will be found to in- 

 corporate the large collections recently received. 



A catalogue has been in progress for some time, and it is hoped that 

 during the present year it will be ready for publication. 



PROCEEDINGS ESSEX INST. VOL. T. 5 JUNE 8, 1866. 



