410 



TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



of obtaining pecuniary assistance in aid of this great work. 

 The committee, anxious to second the views of the society, 

 prepared at considerable expense such documents as were 

 deemed necessary to explain fully the intentions of the 

 society : these were transmitted to Harrisburg by a sub- 

 committee, consisting of two members of the society, 

 every way qualified for the performance of the duty as- 

 signed them. Thus, it will be seen, that an enterprise, 

 so important in every point of view, has been zealously 

 brought before the public, in the confident belief that the 

 legislature would speedily provide the means of effecting 

 so desirable an object. In addition to these efforts on 

 the part of the society, lectures on geology, mineralogy 

 and other branches of science have been delivered at its 

 weekly meetings. Many interesting verbal and written 

 communications have been made from time to time. The 

 cabinet and library have received numerous accessions; 

 the former being materially enriched by valuable dona- 

 tions and deposits. Minerals and other substances have 

 been analyzed by members of the society at the instance 

 of individuals in various parts of this and other states. 

 Examinations, by special committees, have been insti- 

 tuted and reported upon, relative to the Gold region of 

 Pennsylvania and Virginia. Five hundred copies of the 

 first half volume of the Transactions of the Society, con- 

 sisting of one hundred and eighty pages of letter press 

 work, and six plates of fossil remains and other appro- 

 priate illustrations ; five hundred copies of the charter, 

 constitution and by-laws of the society, together with 

 several reports of committees and other minor papers, 

 have been printed, and extensively disseminated. These 

 proceedings, in connexion with the more local concerns of 

 the society as recorded in the minutes, form, in the opi- 

 nion of your committee, satisfactory evidence of the zeal- 

 ous endeavours of its members to augment the usefulness 

 of their growing institution, and manifest a desire on the 



