1S94.] 279 [Annual Meeting. 
good intention that whatever may be clone shall be lodl done and liberally 
supported. 
It would have been a gratification to the officers and members of this 
Society to have assisted successfully in the establishment of Natural 
History Gardens and Aquaria, if in maintenance and completeness they 
might have harmonized with tlie system of parks now in existence and in 
process of construction. It was for the furtherance of this object that 
this Society was reorganized with suitable pnn'isions in its By-Laws. 
This organization remains, for the present, unchanged, and it is conse- 
quently fltting for me to say, that, in this connection, the Council of the 
Society entertains no other scheme than the one well known to you. 
The members of the Council of the Society have tlie pleasure of 
believing that with them and the Park Commissioners there has been a 
perfect harmony of opinion and desire regarding the character and 
conduct of gardens for tlie exhibition of living creatures. 
In accordance with the request of the members of the Council of the 
Boston Society of Natural History, I hereby express their regret at not 
being able to complete their part of the provisional arrangement so 
agreeably made, and convey their thanks for the cordiality and liberality 
witli which tlie Park Commissioners have received and encouraged their 
overtures. 
I have the honor to remain, 
Yours respectfully, 
(Signed) Wm.. H. Niles, 
President, Boston Society of Natural History. 
The Curator wishes to draw attention specifically to two items 
in this rej)ort. The first is, the scientific investigations of Pro- 
fessor Crosby in his department and the need of keeping up and 
providing for such work if we desire to do our part in the history 
of science in New England ; we are essentially a local society and 
ought to do a large part of the local work. 
The second is, the advance made in the Teachers' School of 
Science through its connection with the Normal School. This is 
at present temporary and may of course never become permanent, 
but it is nevertheless, so far as the objects of the Teachei-s' iSchool 
of Science are concerned, the consummation of the hopes of the 
last twenty years. The Curator considered this union desirable 
and has made efforts towards this end, as far as circumstances 
permitted, ever since 1870, but without avail. It has come now 
through the action of the teachers themselves, and is consequently 
more apt to be permanent than if it had been forced by outside 
pressure. 
