74 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE 



were contained. The trouble was increasing, and subsequently the Curators of several of 

 the departments reported injury from the same cause to the collections under their charge. 

 The erection in 1853 of the Boston Theatre, a large building adjoining the Museum, 

 which cut off its light and air, had produced a change, rendering the latter far less suit- 

 able for the requirements of the Society than when it was first occupied. Moreover, 

 with the ever increasing collections of the several departments it had become too small 

 for the proper exhibition of its cabinet. 



As early as 1857, Mr. Jas. M. Barnard had suggested that in view of the necessities of 

 the Society, and of the opportunity of purchasing at a low price a good site for a new 

 building, some action should be taken to secure land for the purpos^e. The unsatisfactory 

 condition of business affairs at that period, however, precluded any action. 



1859. Early this year Mr. Wm. E. Baker of Boston presented a plan for the accom- 

 modation of the several institutions of art and science of the city in a large building, 

 which he called the Conservatory of Art and Science, to be erected on the new land then 

 being formed by the State on the Back Bay. There was certainly much in the project to 

 commend it to the serious attention of the institations. referred to, but it did not meet 

 with full approval. The zeal and public spirit manifested by Mr. Baker deserved the grat- 

 itude of all interested. The presentation of the plan proposed had the good effect to call 

 attention to the necessity of some action in favor of securing early a grant of land from 

 the State for the Society, and accordingly a committee was appointed, consisting of 

 Dr. Cabot, Prof. Rogers, and Messrs. Barnard, Bouv^ and Whittemore, to act in connection 

 with committees of other institutions in petitioning the Legislature for sufficient territory 

 to meet the requirements of all. This was done, but the lateness of the season prevented 

 action during the session. 



The anniial meeting was held on May 4. 



The Report of the Treasurer, Mr. Amos Binney, was very gratifying. An arrangement 

 had been made with the former Treasurer, by which the amount shown by the accounts 

 as due to him was liquidated without full payment in money. The income of the Society 

 had been from all sources $1986, and the expenditures, |949.04, leaving in the Treasurer's 

 hands, $1036.96. Deducting from this amount a small debt, $89.70, and there was shown 

 as available assets, $947.26. Besides this cash balance, the Society held ten shares of 

 stock in the Bank of North America, at the market price, $1035. 



The Librarian reported that there had been seventy-five volumes, and one hundred and 

 twenty-six pamphlets and parts of volumes added during the year, of Avhich thirty-seven 

 had been deposited by "A Republican Institution j " six hundred and eighty-nine volumes 

 had been borrowed from the library. 



The Curator of Mineralogy reported that only few donations had been made to the col- 

 lection during the year. These were chiefly from Dr. C. T. Jackson and Dr. Samuel 

 Kneeland, Jr. He stated that valuable accessions might be expected when the Society 

 could provide adequate accommodations for their arrangement and exhibition. 



The Curator of Geology reported the condition of the collection good, but that there 

 had been few specimens presented to it. A series of thirty-six vertebrae, twenty- 

 six fragments of ribs and other bones of the Zeuglodon from the eocene deposits of Ala- 

 bama, had been deposited by Mr. C. S. Hale of Burlington, N. J. These, and many other 



