Annual Mi-eling.] 278 [-^''y '< 
tliat have been uiade ; the statement just given is the result of 
the experience of the last Board, as well as the first, and of the 
personal efforts of several gentlemen, including the Curator, who 
have si)ent a large proportion of their time in soliciting sub- 
scriptions. 
The financial conditions also have of late been averse to this 
undertaking, and it is therefore not to be wondered at that the 
IJoard of Directors have resigned and have recommended that 
the Society lay aside this design for the present. 
The Council, in taking formal action upon the resignation of 
tlie Board, and in adopting their recommendation to return the 
few subscriptions that had been actually paid in, also concluded 
that it was their duty to communicate with the Park Commis- 
sioners, and it accordingly voted that the President, Prof. W. 11. 
Niles, inform those gentlemen of the action it had taken. The 
Council has not yet had occasion for a further consideration of 
the matter. The letter of the President was as follows : — 
Boston Socnrrv oi' Natuh.vi. IIisioky, 
Boston, Mass., Decemijeu, 18D3. 
To THE HONOUVBLE THE PaUK COMMISSIONERS 
of the City of Boston, 
Gentlemen: — At the hisl meeting of the Council of the Boston 
Society of Natural History, it was voted that tlie President inform you 
l)y letter of an action talcen at that meeting. A vote had just been passed 
to abandon, for the present, an effort to secure funds for the establish- 
ment and support of Natural History Gardens and Aquaria. This vote 
was taken after a delil)erate consideration at two sessions of tlie Council. 
The circumstances which led directly to this action Avere the follownng : 
The Directors appointed by the Council had met witli little success in 
their efforts to secure contributions for the purpose, the public had not 
responded to their solicitations, the period Avithin which they had been 
requested to secure the necessary funds had expired, and they had 
formally resigned their offices. It was felt that the unfortunate condi- 
tion of the industrial and financial interests of tlie country made it 
injnilicious, for tlie present, for tiie Society to attempt to raise such an 
amount of money l)y subscription. The Council believed that it would 
be unwise to make a beginning Witli less funds or with plans for smaller 
establishments than had been previously advocated. The plans of the 
Park Commissioners show reservations of ample and well-located areas 
for such gai'dens and aquaria, and they are regarded as expressing the 
