328 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



liave many of them been of great merit. A few of them 

 were not intended for publication in our proceedings, 

 either because they are principally of local interest, and 

 reach a more satisfactory audience by publication in some 

 of the local journals of our city, or their novelty is not great 

 enough to warrant the great expense involved. 



Its publications are the very life of a society like ours — 

 the only means whereby its existence is known to the w^orld 

 of science, and the medium of steady increase of its library. 

 Its audience is almost entirely among working scientists, 

 and its standing is determined by the number of and im- 

 portance of its contributions to the sum of the world's 

 knowledge. 



We have lost by death during the year one life member, 

 our benefactor, Charles Crocker, whose services to the So- 

 ciety are fresh in the minds of us all, and two resident mem- 

 bers, Henry W. Eeese and Joseph Durbrow. 



Among our honorary members we have met a loss, the 

 like of which cannot soon occur again. Dr. Asa Gray, the 

 head of American botany, died January 30, full of years and 

 honors, yet in the prime of his faculties and usefulness. 

 The position which he held will never again be filled. While 

 there will be, as heretofore, numerous specialists engaged 

 in the different departments of botany, we may never meet 

 with one who possesses so comprehensive a knowledge and 

 a judgment so sound in all that relates to that important 

 branch of science. 



The income from the fund created by the late Charles 

 Crocker, has been expended, as in former years, for the pro- 

 motion of original work, and the work so performed will 

 compare favorably with that of any previous year. 



The Society is to be congratulated upon the fact that the 

 Trustees are actively engaged in making preparations for 

 the erection of a new building for Academy purposes, the 

 ground having been prepared for its foundation, and ample 

 funds are at hand for its completion. 



