PREFATORY NOTE. 



The Boston Society op Natural History, founded in 1830 by a few earnest men, 

 has this year celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. Its growth during this period has 

 ^een so considerable, it has gained for itself so firm a hold upon the esteem of our citi- 

 zens, and its relations to the higher education of the people have been so significant, 

 that it has been thought fitting to signalize this anniversary by the issue of a special volume 

 of scientific papers, preceded by a detailed history of the Society, the preparation of which 

 was entrusted to the President. Included in the history will be found the proceedings of 

 the jubilee meeting, held on the twenty-eighth of April last. At the annual meeting, 

 held a few days later, the President, Thomas T. Bouv6, Esq., declined a reelection ; 

 having been an officer of the Society for nearly forty and its President for ten years, 

 no man living is so thoroughly identified as he with its life and interests during the 

 most eventful period of its history; and it is therefore fitting that this statement 

 should be followed by the tribute paid at the annual meeting to his untiring devotion 

 to the interests of the Society, not only during his Presidency, but for nearly the whole 

 period of its existence. 



Boston, Dec. 15, 1880. Publishing Committee. 



Extract from the minutes of the Annual Meeting, May 5, 1880. 



Mr. S. H. Scudder, on assuming the presidential chair, discussed the mission of the So- 

 ciety, closing his remarks with the following words : At a previous meeting I have already 

 expressed my sincere regret that we can no longer be led in this work by the President 

 whose devotion we have been only too pleased to acknowledge by our ballots for ten years 

 past ; but as long as his life is spared to us we shall have his sympathy and wise advice, 



