It will be perceived that there is in the hands of the Treasurer, in account with the Walker Fund, a balance of In his hands in acc't with the Bulfinch St. Estate

Together,.

$146.95

731.61

$878.56

397.05

And that there is a balance due him on general acc't of

Making the actual balance in his hands

of all the acc'ts rendered.

$481.51

NEW BUILDING AND CASES.

The full cost of our New Building, including commissions for architectural services, and not including the cases, has been The cases, including architect's commissions, have cost

$94,393.80

10,003.36

$104,397.16

A result with which the Society certainly has reason to be gratified, as such a building, with the cases, could not now be built for a sum less than one hundred and fifty to one hundred and sixty thousand dollars.

PROPERTY OF THE SOCIETY.

As Treasurer of the Society I reported the property May 1st, 1862, as worth, exclusive of the Library and Cabinet,

.$85,001.49

. 133,497.80

. 142,512.47 . 176,881.51

$30,000.00

This is, as stated above, exclusive of Library and Cabinet. I will not undertake to estimate the value of our property in the estate of our late benefactor, Dr. Wm. J. Walker. It suffices me to know that in resigning the office of Treasurer, I leave to my successor the pleasing task of showing on our next anniversary means of usefulness beyond what our most sanguine anticipations could have looked for. With regard to the income that can be depended upon from our present property and from assessments on members, &c., I present the following as approximate results:

Of this, however, one half of the income from the Walker fund is not available for general purposes. Deduct this

And we have for general purposes

Our expenses as we are now going on may be estimated as

$1,000

1,000

180

2,466

200

$4,846

1,233

$3,613

This, of course, is a rough estimate, and the actual amount may be less or more according as economy is regarded. Allowing our receipts and expenditures to be as indicated, there would be something, say $500 left for publications and purchase of specimens. This is all based, however, upon circumstances being much as at present, our house in Bulfinch Street let and no change in management. Of course, with the expected accession of wealth and the projected changes in our operations these figures may have but little value.

The one half of the Walker Fund not available for general purposes, may in part be used for a portion of the estimated expenses above, but probably not enough of it to vary essentially the result.

REPORT OF THE CUSTODIAN

OF THE

BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY,

EMBODYING THE REPORTS OF THE LIBRARIAN AND CURATORS

OF THE SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS,

FOR 1865-6.

The past year of the Society has been characterized by much activity in the increase and arrangement of the different departments of the Museum. While the meetings have been well attended, it is believed that the communications presented fully equal in number and interest those of former years. The first number of the Memoirs and nearly a volume of the Proceedings have been printed, and the additions to the Library have been large and of unusual importance. In the Museum the ornithological collection has 'been more than quadrupled, so that it has now become one of the most important in the country, and unrivalled in the number of type specimens of European authors which it contains; many native species of marine invertebrates and of the lower order of plants in which the Museum has before been deficient, have been added.

In the month of May was closed a series of lectures on scientific topics, given gratuitously, under the auspices of the Society, to the teachers of the Public Schools of Boston and vicinity, which was received with great favor by the public, the large main hall of the Museum being crowded to overflowing on successive Saturdays by very appreciative audiences, who gave ample assurances that repetitions of the undertaking would prove very acceptable.