Annual Meeting.] 192 [May 2, 



We have now a New England Collection in every De- 

 partment. That in the Paleontological Department was 

 completed this year by Mr. Crosby, and one in the Geologi- 

 cal Department can be picked out at any time by the same 

 assistant, from material at present stored in our Laboratory. 



"We now need a new gallery around our Main Hall, which 

 should be devoted to the New England Department, and 

 contain all of these scattered collections, so that a visitor or 

 student could see the whole range of the natural products of 

 New England arranged in one continuous series. 



The Custodian spent the past summer at Eastport, on the 

 coast of Maine, and succeeded, with some assistance from Mr. 

 Van Vleck, in adding considerably to the New England 

 Collection, though this is now in such a state of advance- 

 ment that we require in most Departments only the rarer 

 species. Mr. Van Vleck and the Custodian have been mate- 

 rially assisted by Mr. E. G. Gardiner, who has continued to 

 give voluntary assistance in the Museum. 



The Ornithological Collection remains as usual, but it is 

 hoped that a revival is about to take place in this Depart- 

 ment. 



Report of Mr. Burgess, Secretary. 



In accordance with the new provision of the Society's By- 

 Laws, I beg to offer the following report on the condition of 

 the departments under the Secretary's charge. 



LIBRARY. 



The additions to the Library during the past year, though 

 somewhat less in number than those of the preceding, have 

 been perhaps more valuable. Among the most important 

 accessions must be mentioned a large and valuable series of 

 books, chiefly botanical, and containing many rare volumes, 

 irom Hon. G. B. Emerson. A nearly complete set of the 



