JUL 1 1 1905 
No. 5.—PROCEEDINGS OF THE ANNUAL MEETING, 
MAY 3, 1905. 
REPORT OF THE CURATOR, CHARLES W. JOHNSON. 
The plan for rearranging the collections referred to in the last 
annual report has in a great measure been carried out. The New 
England mammals and birds noAV occupy all the cases on the main 
floor of the museum with the exception of one case devoted to New 
England paleontology. This material will later be transferred to the 
horizontal cases in the room devoted to American paleontology. 
All of the larger skeletons and one elephant have been removed 
from the main floor, and the other elephant placed upon the raised 
portion corresponding to the position of the Megatherium. These 
alterations give ample floor space for two cases for the larger New 
England mammals, and also room for a number of smaller cases 
for groups of birds. 
The work on the main gallery lias also progressed, but there is 
still a great deal to be done especially in arranging the Ashes and 
insects. 
Part of the Guide to the Invertebrata in the synoptic collection, 
by Mrs. J. M. Arms Sheldon, is still in press, but Part 1 (Protozoa, 
Porifera, Coelentera) and Part 2 (Echinoderma, Mollusca) have 
appeared. As soon as completed, a copy available to visitors will 
be placed with the collection. 
Birds, Mammals, Reptiles, Batrachians. 
There has been a very active interest taken in developing the 
collection of New England birds. Through the generosity of Mr. 
-Tohn E. Thayer the Societv has received two very attractive and 
instructive groups. One shows the red-shouldered hawk feeding 
its young, and the other illustrates the social nesting habits of the 
black-crowned night heron. Mr. Thayer also presented the hand¬ 
some case containing the latter group. Mr. Augustus Ilemenway 
has donated twenty-seven species of New England birds, several of 
which were new to the collection, while others show special phases 
of plumage or replace poor specimens. Mr. Dwight Blaney pre- 
