XXXII 



The Cabinet Keeper reported that the specimens in the 

 Museum were in as safe a condition, as the crowded cases 

 of some of the departments would allow. During the 

 year, Mr. T. M. Pond has arranged, catalogued, and labelled 

 the North American birds, and their nests and eggs. Mr. 

 Horace Brown has done the same with the collection of 

 Mammalia, and had commenced to catalogue the Osteologi- 

 cal collection when other occupations prevented his 

 completing the work. Mr. Charles H. Higbee has ar- 

 ranged the Mineralogical collection, and by his efforts 

 much has been done to increase its value. The Reptiles 

 have been partially catalogued and named. The snakes 

 which were sent to Professor Jan of Milan have been 

 returned in good condition, with his identifications. 

 Among the specimens Prof. Jan found several unknown 

 species, descriptions of which will appear in his great work 

 on Ophidians, in which he will give full credit to the Insti- 

 tute for its assistance. 



During the year, an Essex County Collection has been 

 commenced with the intention to soon have the Natural 

 History of our county fully represented and separately 

 arranged. 



The total number of donations to the various sections of 

 the Department of Natural History, since the last annual 

 meeting, amounts to one hundred and twenty-six, received 

 from eighty-six persons ; besides which, several exchanges 

 have been made with the Museum of Comp. Zoology at 

 Cambridge, and the Lyceum of Nat. History of Williams' 

 College. 



Mr. James H. Emerton, curator of Articulata, reported 

 that the Insects had been looked over, the worthless ones 

 discarded and the others carefully protected from injury. 

 The large collection of Brazilian Insects had been arranged, 

 according to their orders, in a case by themselves. Tha 



