BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 15 



Such a meeting was called together on the 28th of April, and was held at the room of 

 the Trustees of the Athenaeum at 7 1-2 o'clock P. M. Dr. Chauning was chosen 

 Moderator, and Theophilus Pai-sons, Secretary. The names of the subscribers were read, 

 and a sketch of rules and by-laws for the government of the Society presented for con- 

 sideration. It was then 



Voted, That the name of the Society shall be The Boston Society of Natural History. 



Then followed discussion on the rules proposed, and finally a committee was appointed 

 to draft a constitution and code of by-laws and to report at the next meeting. Dr. Binney, 

 Dr. Hayward and Simon E. Greene were made this committee. 



Thus was formed this Society, destined to become one of the leading institutions of the 

 kind in the world, into whose museum thousands would gather weekly for observation and 

 instruction, and whose publications would be known and valued in every civUized 

 community. 



The next meeting was held on May 6th, and the constitution and by-laws which had 

 been proposed, after due consideration and Avith some amendments, were adopted. An 

 adjournment for one week followed. On reassembling at the appointed time the members 

 proceeded to vote for officers and the following named persons were chosen to fill the 

 positions designated : 



Thomas Nuttall, President. 



Geo. Hayward, First Vice-President. 



John Ware, Second Vice-President. 



Gamaliel Bradford, Corresponding Secretary. 



Theophilus Parsons, Recording Secretary. 



Simon E. Greene, Treasurer. 



Seth Bass, Librarian. 



CUEATOES : 



Francis C. Gray, Edward Brooks, Amos Binney, Jr., 



Geo. B. Emerson, Walter Channing, Benj. D. Greene. 



Joseph W. McKean, Francis Alger, 



A committee was then appointed to make enquiries relative to the collection of the 

 late Linnsean Society, which had been presented to Harvard College upon certain 

 conditions which had not beea complied with, and to learn whether the whole or any part 

 of it could be obtained for the cabinet of this Society. No farther meeting is recorded 

 until August 9, though the adopted by-laws required that one should be held on the first 

 Thursday of every month. At this meeting it was announced that Dr. Nuttall had 

 declined to accept the office of President, whereupon the members present proceeded to 

 fill the vacancy, and Benj. D. Greene was unanimously elected. Thus was completed the 

 organization of the Society, and we find that the Council, now composed of all the officers, 

 proceeded at once to take active measures for the furtherance of its objects. The next day 

 after the election of Mr. Greene, it held a meeting and appointed a committee to arrange 

 for a course of lectures, to designate the lecturers, and to decide upon their compensation ; 

 also one to procure rooms for the use of the Society. At the next meeting of the Council 

 a week later, the committee on lectures reported in favor of a course of sixteen to be 

 given besides an introductory lecture, and that tickets of admission be put at f 3 each. 



