BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 109 



Bryant and Dr. J. C. White, was appointed to attend to the proper construction of the 

 cases. 



The collection, which was purchased by Dr. Bryant of Count Lafresnaye de Falaise for 

 the purpose of presentation to the Society, was the largest and most valuable private one 

 in Europe. It contained nearly 9,000 specimens, all finely mounted, and from 4,500 to 

 5,000 species. Of these, 700 to 800 were from North and South America, many heing 

 ^type specimens described by the Count himself, an able ornithologist- 

 October 18th, Dr. Burt G. Wilder was elected Curator of Reptiles in place of Dr. Francis 

 H. Brown, who had resigned at the previous meeting. 



A special meeting of the Society was called to consider the subject of creating the office 

 of Director of the Society, whose duty it should be to administer the affairs of the Museum 

 and Library, with the intention of inviting Dr. Jeffries Wyman to take such office. 



With great unanimity of feeling and action it was voted to invite Dr. Wyman to fill 

 such office, with a salary of $2,500 per annum, clerical assistance in the administration of 

 the Library and such scientific assistance as might be necessary. To the great regret of 

 all the members. Dr. Wyman, after much consideration, declined to accept the position 

 tendered him. The office designed for him was not therefore created. 



In December, the Treasurer announced the reception by him of the first instalment of 

 the Walker bequest, amounting to $100,000 in various stocks, and that it had now become 

 the duty of the Trustees to assume the management of this property. 



1866. From the report of the Acting Custodian, Dr. Packard, made at the annual 

 meeting in May, we learn that there were twenty stated meetings of the Society, and 

 eight of the Microscopical section. These had been well attended, and the communica- 

 tTons presented were of an interesting and instructive character. Forty-four Resident 

 and eleven Corresponding Members had been elected. 



The Society had again resumed publication, after having omitted to issue any of its Pro- 

 ceedings for a year, and not having continued its Journal beyond Volume VII, printed 

 in 1863. In resuming publication it was thought best to change the form of the Journal 

 from octavo to quarto, and also to change the title to " Memoirs." It was also decided not 

 to furnish the Proceedings to members free of cost, as hitherto, the state of the Treasury 

 not warranting it. The first part of Volume I of the Memoirs, and nearly one half of 

 Volume X of the Proceedings, including the records of the meetings held in 1864 and 

 1865, were mentioned as having been issued. 



The Treasurer's report for the year showed that there had been an excess of expendi- 

 ture over receipts, not including borrowed money, of $2,890.19. The amount expended, 

 however, included $5,030.61, the cost of fitting up rooms with cases for the Ornitho- 

 logical collection. 



The Librarian reported an accession of 981 volumes, parts of volumes and pamphlets, 

 of which 767 had been received in exchange for our publications. He stated that the 

 Library now contained 7622 volumes, 2007 parts of volumes, and 2462 pamphlets. 



The Curator of Microscopy stated that the collection was in good preservation, though 

 not in such order as it should be. Donations had been received from Dr. S. A. Bemis, 

 Dr. C. F. Winslow, and Messrs. C. G. Bush and J. S. Melvin. 



