26 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE 



Springfield; Thaddeus W. Harris, M. D., Librarian Harvard University; D. H. Storer, 

 M. D., Curator of Boston Society of Natural History ; Augustus A. Gould, M. D., Curator 

 of Boston Society of Natural History. 



These gentlemen met, and it was arranged among them that Professor Emmons should 

 undertake to report upon Mammalia ; Rev. Mr. Peabody, upon the Birds ; Dr. Storer, 

 upon Fishes and Reptiles ; Dr. Harris upon Insects , Dr. Gould, upon MoUusca, Crusta- 

 cea, and Radiata ; Professor Dewey, upon the Herbaceous Plants ; and Mr. Emerson upon 

 the Trees and Shrubs. 



The Reports presented to the Legislature were published in 1839-1846. 



It will be remembered that in January, 1835, the announcement was made to 

 the members that Mr. Ambrose S, Courtis had provided in a will that the Society 

 should receive certain sums for specific purposes, amounting to |15,000, and that 

 prepayment had been directed by him of |2,000 of that amount. A copy of the 

 will had been forwarded by him for examination by the Society, and a committee 

 on its part had been appointed to suggest some modifications of its provisions. 



It is not known whether the matter received his attention. Possibly his change 

 of residence from place to place delayed the reception by him of the communication 

 of the committee until increasing illness prevented consideration of it. Intelligence 

 of his death was received a few months after. What is known of this early benefactor 

 of the Society is but meagre. It will however be read with grateful interest, 



Mr. Ambrose Stacy Courtis, for that was his full name, was born in Marblehead, Mass., 

 on March 1, 1798. He received only a common school education, but early acquired a 

 taste for literature and science, which often manifested itself in his subsequent life. 

 Upon leaving school he entered a country store of his native place, and there was ac- 

 customed to devote all the spare time he had to classical and scientific studies. He 

 afterwards came to Boston, and entered into partnership with Mr. Samuel Johnson, the 

 firm being Johnson & Courtis. The business was that of wholesale dry goods. 



While actively engaged in that occupation, he kept up his interest in other pursuits, 

 devoting much spare time, as when at Marblehead, in reading works upon his favorite 

 pursuits. He accumulated property, but his health became impaired. In 1834, he 

 retired from the firm of which he was a member, and travelled in Europe, hoping 

 to regain his strength. In this he was disappointed, and he finally died in Greece, 

 August 27, 1836. His remains were brought home and buried at Mount Auburn. 



On a tablet in the vestibule of the Museum, may be found the following inscription : 



TO 



AMBROSE S. COURTIS 



MERCHANT OF BOSTON 



WHOSE GENEROUS BEQUEST IN 1838 WAS 



FOR TWENTY-FIVE YEARS ITS CHIEF SUPPORT 



THE BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY 



ON THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF ITS FOUNDATION 



APRIL 28 1880 



GRATEFULLY INSCRIBES THIS TABLET 



