420 



A letter was read from Dr. W. H. Prince of Northampton, 

 tendering to the Institute the Records of the Philosophical 

 Library Company, which were found among the papers of 

 his late grandfather, the Rev. Dr. John Prince of this city. 

 This was truly a valuable acquisition to the manuscript De- 

 partment of the Institute, containing the desired informa- 

 tion requisite to complete the history of that Institution, 

 which in 1810 was incorporated with the Social Library and 

 formed the nucleus of the Library of the Salem Athenaeum. 



Extracts from these Records were read by the Secretary, 

 accompanied with sketches of the prominent jDcrsons who 

 were members of that Institution. 



A circular was read from the Lyceum of Natural History, 

 in Williams College, — proposing to undertake an expedition 

 to the coasts of Louisiana, Texas, and Central America, for 

 the purpose of studying the Natural History of the country 

 and making collections ; and requesting the co-operation of 

 societies and individuals interested in these pursuits. After 

 some discussion, it was referred to the curators of Natural 

 History. 



Letters were also read from Edwin Harrison of St. Louis, 

 Mo.; Richard Edwards of St. Louis, Mo.; H. M. Neisler of 

 Butler, Taylor Co., Ga.; William Barry of Chicago, III.; 

 New England Historic-Genealogical Society ; New Orleans 

 Academy of Science ; Maine Historical Society; A. S. Pack- 

 ard of Brunswick, Me.; D. T. Taylor of Worcester ; John 

 W. Dean of Boston ; W. P. Phillips. 



Rev. Mr. Russell presented an interested table, showing 

 the number of cents that he had received in change for one 

 year, from Nov. 28, 1858, to Nov. 28, 1859, with the dates 

 of their coinage. 



Several interesting queries were suggested, and remarks 

 made by several members, after which the Institute ad- 

 journed. 



