The Annual Reports of the officers of the Society for the past year (1862) were received, and the following is an abstract of their contents:
The Report of the Treasurer was read, and referred to the Finance Committee.
The Curator of Palæontology reported, that the number of specimens in the collection is 1,007, exclusive of numerous duplicates. They are principally from the cretaceous and tertiary formations of the Pacific coast. The collection has been rearranged in the course of the past year, and is now in as good condition as the accommodations of the Society will admit.
The Curator of Botany reported, that 2,160 specimens were added to the collection during the year 1862, making a total of 6,160 specimens in the Academy’s herbarium. About twenty new specimens have been described in the Proceedings during the past year, and specimens and drawings of all of them have been placed in the collection. The herbarium is in good condition.
The Curator of Entomology made a verbal report, to the effect that the collections in his department, although small, are in good order; but that few additions had been made during the year.
In the Zoological department, the Curator stated, that a few valuable additions had been made to the collection during the year 1862; but that much difficulty was experienced in arranging them, from the limited space and means of the Academy. The alcoholic specimens have not been rearranged during the year; some are in bad condition. All has been done which could be, towards preserving the specimens in this department, with the means at the command of the Curator.
In the absence of the Curator of Conchology (Dr. Trask) it was stated, that the collection of shells had been arranged, and labeled, and placed in cases during the year; the accommodations of the Academy, however, do not admit of their being displayed.
The Curator of Mineralogy (Mr. Hanks) has removed from the city since the last annual meeting; but previous to removing, he had made considerable progress in rearranging and labeling the collection of minerals and ores, and it is now in better order than it has ever before been.
The Librarian reported that valuable additions had been made to the Library during the past year; chiefly through the instrumentality of the Smithsonian Institution. The books are in good order; but many of them need binding, and the want of room renders it impossible to place them where they can be easily got at by the members.