THOMAS TRACY BOUVE: MEMORIAL MEETING. 
221 
Mason Street, and no appreciative judgment in all that he had done 
in collecting, stimulating donations, and caring for specimens could 
be exercised until they were at last properly arranged and displayed 
in this building. One of his earliest reports illustrates some of the 
difficulties under which curators then labored. In 1844 he states 
that a considerable portion of the specimens remained undetermined 
for want of books on Palaeontology. He was largely instrumental 
in the purchase of the fine collection of Greenfield “ ornithichnites ” 
which enrich our halls. He gave generously from his own private 
collection, at one time four hundred specimens of minerals. 
As our chief financial minister his services have been inestimable. 
To the high opinion of his integrity and conservatism held by our 
greatest benefactor, Dr. Walker, we are largely indebted for those 
repeated gifts of monejq which raised the Society to its larger 
sphere of usefulness. Under the deeds of gift he was made trustee, 
and later executor of his last will. He was treasurer from 1861 to 
1865. In this capacity, and later as trustee, his advice regarding 
investments was always wise, and his control of expenditures most 
judicious. His firmness and fearlessness were at times a needed 
and reliable safeguard against extravagance. Other societies with 
which he was associated also relied greatly upon these exceptional 
qualities in the administration of their affairs. 
The Society honored him in turn with its highest offices. In 
1866 he was made Vice-President, and on the retirement of Jeffries 
Wyman, in 1870, he was immediately elevated to the Presidency. 
Those who are to follow me are better fitted to speak of his able 
administration than myself. His term of service, of ten years dura¬ 
tion, was a transitional period, in which radical changes in the func¬ 
tions and scope of the Society were made, in methods of govern¬ 
ment, in the care and arrangement of the collections, in membership, 
and in practical affiliations with other institutions of learning. All 
these changes had his full sympathy and valuable support. How 
acceptably he performed all the duties of his high office may be 
judged by the action taken in 1876 when he desired to resign this 
position. At the meeting prior to the annual election, to use his 
own words, and he never uttered a boastful one, “ What was read 
as a valedictory was listened to with great attention, after which a 
call to proceed to the business of the meeting was made. Instead 
of responding to this call, one after another of those whom the 
writer most respected addressed him in such terms of affectionate 
