1852.] 219 
believed to be unique, of the skeleton of Cherodes Liberiensis, Lecdy, has been 
received from Dr. T. B. Wilson. 
Besides the foregoing, 49 crania of mammals, birds and reptiles, 17 skeletons 
of birds, and 58 miscellaneous specimens have been presented by Messrs. J. Ver- 
reaux, De la Berge, A. L. Heermann, G. P. Oliver, B. H. Coates, Amory Edwards, 
W. Wood, A. Janney, and others. 
Botany.—The herbarium has been increased by the addition of a number of 
valuable specimens. 
Major J. Le Conte presented his entire collection of North American plants, 
made through the course of many years. 
Other collections of Phenerogamous plants have been presented by the Rev. 
M. A. Curtis, of South Carolina, Dr. A. L.Heermann, Mr. R. H. Kern, and 
Dr. Engelmann, of St. Louis. 
Of fruits, lichenes, marine algw, &c. we have received 96 specimens from 
Messrs. 8. Ashmead, G. W. Fahnestock, J. C. Trautwine, E. K. Kane, and 
others. 
Paleontology.—An interesting collection of minute crag fossils of England, 
consisting of 41 species, was presented by Dr. T. B. Wilson. 
Dr. J. L. Le Conte has presented the unique fossils upon which were esta- 
blished the Dicotyles depressifrons, D. cristatus, Procyon priscus, Protocherus 
prismaticus, and Anomodon Snyderi. 
Dr. Isaac Hays presented an interesting specimen, upon which has been pro- 
posed the Tapirus Haysii. 
Besides the above, 219 specimens of organic remains have been presented by 
Messrs. D. D. Owen, Thomas Fisher, A. Jessup, R. Kilvington, C. Wistar, C. 
H. Budd, J. L. Burtt, Leidy, Wetherill, H. W. Kennedy, Spackman, and others. 
Mincralogy.—83 specimens of minerals have been presented by Messrs. W. 
D. Hartman, S. Ashmead, W. S. Vaux, T. Fisher, C. M. Wheatley and J. L. 
Burtt. Among the specimens is a beautiful piece of crystalline native copper, 
one and a half feetin length, from Lake Superior, the donor of which is Mr. 
B. A. Hoopes. . 
In conclusion, the Curators respectfully call upon the members to co-operate 
in the endeavors now being made to raise a fund suflicient to increase the capa- 
city of the Museum to an extent demanded by its collections; and they hope, 
at the next annual meeting, to be able to report that ample space has been pro- 
vided for the accommodation of any future additions to the Cabinet. 
JosepH Leipy, Chairman of the Curators. 
e 
The Committee on Proceedings presented the following 
REPORT 
The ** Proceedings”’ of the Academy, the publication of which was commenced 
more than ten years since, has increased gradually in importance, and now 
commands respect broad, from the value and diversity of its contents. It is 
quoted by kindred journals, and seems to be regarded as authority. 
The members of the Academy are respectfully invited to consider the value 
of this publication. 
To make widely known the labors of the members of the Academy is, in its 
influence on the prosperity of the Institution, and on the increase of knowledge, 
second only to those labors themselves. Discoveries in natural history are 
valuable in proportion to the number of persons to whom they may be made 
known. While a knowledge of new facts is limited to the discoverer and his 
companions, science gains little and society is scarcely benefited by the toils of 
research. It is not necessary to enlarge on this point; every one is aware that 
