fcc'St* v\ ACT OF INCORPORATION, 1 CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS OF THE Boston Sotietg of Natural ^tetovs* i BOSTON. JOHN H. EASTBFRN....PRINTER. 1832. ACT OF INCORPORATION. ©ommoittoealti) ot Massachusetts. In the Year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-one. An Act to incorporate the Boston Society of Natural History. Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled\ and by the Authority of the same, That Benjamin D. Greene, George Hay ward, John Ware, Walter Channing, Edward Brooks, Amos Binney, jr., D. Humphreys Storer, Simon E. Greene, Joshua B. Flint, William Grigg, George B. Emerson, and Henry Codman, with their associates, and such other persons as shall from time to time be duly admitted Members of the Corporation hereby created, be, and they hereby are constituted a body corporate and politic, by the name of the Boston Society of Natural History, and by that name they shall have perpetual succession, and shall be capable of sueing and being sued, of prosecuting and defending unto final judgment, in all Courts and places whatsoever, and may have a Common Seal, with power to change the same at pleasure. Sect. 2. Be it further enacted, That the said Society shall have power to hold real or personal estate by gift, grant, devise, or otherwise, and the same or any part thereof to alien or convey, provided that the clear annual income of such personal and 4 real estate, shall not exceed the sum of three thousand dollars, nor be applied to any other purposes than the encouragement and promotion of the science of Natural History. Sect. 3. Be it further enacted, That said Society shall have power to elect a President and all other necessary officers; to make rules and by-laws for the election and government of its members, for the management of its property, for collecting annual contributions from its members, for regulating the times and places of meeting, - for expelling such biembers as refuse to comply with the by-laws or regulations, and for the managing of the affairs of the Society, provided such rules and by-laws be not repugnant to the Constitution and Laws of this Commonwealth, or of the United States. Sect. 4. Be it further enacted, That the persons herein before named, or any three of them, shall have power to call the first meeting of the members of said Society in such manner as they may think proper. Sect. 5. Be it further enacted, That''this Act may be altered, amended, or repealed at the pleasure of the Legislature. In House of Representatives, February 23, 1831, passed to be enacted. WM. B. CALHOUN, Speaker. In Senate, February 24, 1831, passed to be enacted. SAM'L LATHROP, President. February 25, 1831. Approved, LEVI LINCOLN. A Copy of the Original Act, Attest, EDWARD D. BANGS, Secretary of the Commonwealth. CONSTITUTE ©AT. ARTICLE I. The Society shall be called the Boston Society or Natural History. ARTICLE II. It shall consist of Members, Corresponding Mem- bers, and Patrons. Members, persons residing in Boston, or its immediate vicinity; Corresponding Members, persons residing at a distance from the citv; and Patrons, persons who shall contribute at one time to the funds of the Society, the sum of fifty dollars. ARTICLE III. Members and Corresponding Members shall be chosen by ballot, after having been nominated at a meeting previous to that, on which the ballot is taken : the affirmative votes of three-fourths of the members present shall be necessary to a choice. ARTICLE IV. Members only, shall be entitled to vote, to hold office, or to transact business : Corresponding Members and Patrons, may attend the meetings, and take part in the scientific discussions of the Society. ARTICLE V. The officers of the Society, shall be a President; two Vice Presidents, first and second ; a Cones- 6 ponding Secretary ; a Recording Secretary and Clerk ; a Treasurer ; a Librarian ; and eight Cura- tors—who, together, shall form a Board, for the management of the concerns of the institution, and f be called the Council. ARTICLE VI. Officers shall be chosen by ballot, and a majority of votes shall be sufficient for a choice. ARTICLE VII. By-laws for the more particular regulation of the Society, shall from time to time be made. ARTICLE VIII. This Constitution may be altered or amended in any of the preceding articles, by a vote to that ef- fect, of three-fourths of the members ; but the arti- cle which immediately follows this, shall be unalter- able, y ARTICLE IX. The consent of every member shall be necessary to a dissolution of the Society. In case of a disso- lution, the property of the Society shall not be dis- tributed among the members, but donors may claim and receive such donations as they have made to the museum, and the remainder shall be given to some public Institution, on such conditions as may then be agreed on; and the faithful performance of such conditions, shall be secured by bonds with sufficient y penalties for the non-fulfilment thereof. BY-LAWS. SECTION I. OF MEMBERS. Art. 1. Every person on becoming a member of this Society, shall subscribe an obligation, promising to conform to the Constitution and By-laws thereof, and shall pay into the Treasury, an initiation fee of five dollars. Art. 2. Corresponding members shall not be re- quired to pay an initiation fee, or other contribution. Art. 3. Persons who have been unsuccessful candidates for admission, shall not be again proposed as members until after one year. Art. 4. Any member may withdraw from the Society, by giving written notice of his intention, and paying all arrearages due from him. Art. 5. Members may be expelled from the So- ciety, by a vote of three-fourths of the members present, at a meeting specially called for that pur- pose, by a notice given at least one month previous. SECTION II. OF OFFICERS, AND THEIR DUTIES. Art. 1. The President shall preside at meetings of the Society and of the Council; shall preserve order, regulate debates, and announce donations and other interesting information. • 3 Art. 2. The Vice President, shall perform the duties of President, in his absence. Art. 3. The Corresponding Secretary shall con- duct the correspondence of the Society, and keep a record thereof; acknowledge all donations; notify corresponding members of their election, and receive and read to the Society all communications on sci- entific subjects which may be addressed to him. Art. 4. The Recording Secretary and Clerk, shall take and preserve correct minutes of the pro- ceedings of the Society and Council, in a book to be kept for that purpose ; shall have charge of the papers and documents belonging to the Society, and of their common seal ; shall notify members of their election, and committees of their appointment, and shall call meetings when directed by the President. Art. 5. The Treasurer shall have charge of all moneys and other property of the Society, except their Library and Museum; shall collect all fees and assessments, and receive any donations in money which may be made to it; shall pay all accounts against the Society, when the same are approved by a vote of the Council ; shall keep a correct account of all receipts and expenditures in a book belonging to the Society, and shall at each annual meeting, and at other times when required by the Council, make a detailed report of the same. Art. 6. The Librarian shall have control of the books belonging to the Society, or deposited for their use ; he shall make a correct catalogue of them, and keep a record of such as are taken from the Library by the members ; shall permit the use of the Library to members and others, under such regulations as 9 may from time to time be adopted, and shall annual- ly report the condition of the Library. Art. 7. The Curators shall be entrusted with the care of the Museum. They shall be separately charged, as may be agreed on among themselves, with the safe- keeping and arrangement of the several departments of which it may be composed. The Curators having charge of any division of the collection, shall keep the keys thereof: shall arrange the specimens after some approved system, and so far as is practicable, label them with the names they bear, in such system. They shall keep a correct catalogue of the articles in their care, and shall be alone authorized to select duplicate specimens from the Cabinets, and effect exchanges. In case the duties of the Curators shall be so far subdivided that one Curator shall have sole charge of a department, he may select from among the members of the Society a person to assist him in arranging and labelling the specimens. The Curators shall, at the annual meeting, make a written report to the Society, concerning the Museum; the state of the different collections, the additions made dur- ing the year, and the deficiencies which exist. Art. 8. The Council shall provide suitable rooms for the meetings of the Society, for lectures, and for the Museum: they shall select the subjects of the lec- tures, regulate the order in which they shall be given, and determine on what terms the public may be ad- mitted to them: appoint Lecturers, and fix their compensations : authorize the expenditure of money for the increase of the library and museum, and designate the books which shall be purchased: and do any other acts not inconsistent with the Consti- 2 10 tution and By-laws, which they may think necessary to the continuation and success of the Society. SECTION III. OF ASSESSMENTS. Art. 1. Every member shall be subject to an annual assessment of three dollars, payable to the Treasurer on the first day of October. Art. 2. Any member who shall pay into the Treasury at one time, the sum of thirty dollars, shall be exempt from the annual assessments. SECTION IV. OF THE LIBRARY. Art. 1. The Library shall consist of works on Natural History, and other subjects connected there- with. Art. 2. The selection of Books to be purchased for the Library, shall be made by the Council; but for the present, such books only shall be purchased, as are not found in other public Libraries in the City of Boston. Art. 3. Members may deposit books in the Li- brary for the use of the Society; but such books shall not be taken from the Library-room, without the consent of the owners. Art. 4. The Society shall be responsible for the safe-keeping and careful usage of books deposited, and shall recompense the owners for any damage which may occur to them, while in the Society's keeping. Art. 5. Books owned by the Society may be taken from the Library by members, upon signing a 11 receipt for the same, and promising to make good any damage which may be sustained when in their possession, and to replace the same if lost. Art. 6. The Council may prohibit valuable and rare books from circulation. Art. 7. Books shall not be kept from the Library more than one calendar month by the same person. Art 8. The Council may appoint particular days for taking books from the Library. Art. 9. The Council may extend the use of the Library to other persons than members. SECTION V. OF THE MUSEUM. Art. 1. The Museum shall consist of collections in the different departments of Natural History. Art. 2. All specimens sent to the Museum shall be considered the property of the Society, unless the owner shall make known in writing his wish to retain the privilege of withdrawing them. Art. 3. When a member deposits in the Museum a sufficient number of articles to fill an entire case, a key of the case shall be at all times at his command. Art 4. The names of donors, with the articles given, shall in every instance be recorded in a book kept for that purpose, by the Curators of each de- partment. Art. 5. No specimens shall be removed from the Museum, without the leave of the Council. Art. 6. Members, corresponding members, and patrons shall have access to the Museum, at all times, subject to the regulations of the Council. Art. 7. Members or other persons desirous of 12 examining or describing specimens, or taking them from the cases, for the purpose of study, must apply to the Curators, who have charge of them. Art. 8. At the meeting in October, a committee of three members shall be appointed, who shall re- port at the next meeting on the state of the Cabinet and Library. SECTION VII. OF LECTURES. Art. I. Public lectures shall be annually given under the auspices of the Society, on the several branches of Natural History. Art. 2. The order in which the lectures shall follow each other, shall be fixed by the Council. Art. 3. Members of the Society shall have free admission to the lectures ; other persons shall be ad- mitted on such terms as the Council shall prescribe. Art. 4. The monies received for admission to the Lectures, shall go to pay the compensation of Lecturers and other expenses; the balance, if any, shall be paid into the Treasury of the Society. SECTION VII. OF MEETINGS. Art. 1. A meeting shall be held on the first Wednesday in May annually, for the choice of offi- cers and other general purposes. At this meeting, reports shall be made, by the Treasurer, on the state of the funds ; by the Librarian on the condition of the Library ; and by the Curators, on the condition of the Museum. Art. 2. Stated meetings of the Society, shall be held on the first Wednesday of every month. 13 Art. 3. Six members shall form a quorum for business. Art. 4. Members will be expected to communi- cate at the meetings of the Society, such interesting information as may come into their possession re- specting Natural History in general, and particularly any new facts respecting that of our own country. Art. 5. Written communications on subjects connected with Natural History, may be made by the members ; the subjects, and time of reading, shall be chosen by themselves ; but after the same have been read, the opinions and facts therein con- tained, shall be open to remark by other members. Art. 6. The order of proceeding at meetings, shall be as follows, to wit: 1. Record of preceding meeting read. 2. Donations announced. 3. Written communications read. 4. Verbal communications made. 5. Business called up by special resolutions. 6. Candidates for membership proposed. 7. Adjournment. OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY, ELECTED MAY, 1832. PRESIDENT, BENJAMIN D. GREENE. VICE-PRESIDENTS, JOHN WARE | FRANCIS C. GRAY. CORRESPONDING SECRETARY, GAMALIEL BRADFORD. RECORDING SECRETARY, D. HUMPHREYS STORER. TREASURER, AMOS BINNEY, Jr. LIBRARIAN, CHARLES AMORY. CURATORS, GEORGE B. EMERSON, JOSEPH W. McKEAN, FRANCIS ALGER, AUGUSTUS A. GOULD, WINSLOW LEWIS, Jr. WILLIAM B. FOVVLE, CLEMENT DURG1N, GEORGE W. OTIS, Jr. CATALOGUE OF MEMBERS. Adams, Zabdiel B. Adams, Edwin Alger, Francis Amory, Charles Andrews, William T. Bailey, Ebenezer Barrett, Samuel Bass, Seth Bates, Charles J. Binney, Amos Jr. Binney, Charles J. F. Bird, John Blake, Samuel P. Bond, George Bowdoin, James Bradford, Gamaliel Brooks, Edward Brooks, William G. Brown, James Brown, Nathaniel, Browne, Daniel I. Cabot, Samuel Channing, Walter Choate, Charles, Clark, Elijah P. Codman, Henry Cooke, Joseph P. Coolidge, Joseph Jr. Davis, John Dearborn, H. A. S. Dixwell, Epes S. Durgin, Clement Dyer, Ezra C. Dyer, Henry Emerson, George B. Emmons, Robert L. Fisher, John D. Flagg, Josiah F. Flint, John Flint, Joshua B. Fowle, William B. Gay, Martin Goodrich, S. G. Gould, Augustus A. Gray, Francis C. Gray, John H. Gray, Thomas Jr. Greene, Benjamin D. Greene, Charles G. Greene, J. S. Copley Greene, Simon E. Greenwood, F. W. P. Grigg, William Hale, Enoch Jr. Hales, William Harris, Thaddeus W. Harwood, Daniel Hayden, John C. Hay ward, George Hayward, Joshua H 16 Hendee, Charles J. Henshaw, David Holmes, O. VVendal Homans, John Haughton, Nestor Howard, John C. Hubbard, Henry B. Huggeford, Henry H. Inyalls, William Jackson, James Jr. Jackson, John B. S. Jarvis, Nathan Jeffries, John Joy, Joseph Kettell, Samuel Leach, E. W. Leverett, F. P. Lewis, Winslow Jr. McKean, Joseph W. Miles, Solomon P. Nuttall, Thomas Odiorne, James C. Osgood, David Otis, George W. Jr. Palmer, Ezra Park, Thomas B. Parkman, George Parsons, Theophilus Perkins, J. H. Perry, Marshall S. Pierce, Henry Power, Thomas Randall, John Reed, Sampson Reynolds, Edward Robinson, Horatio Rogers, Henry B. Shattuck, George C. Sheafe, Henry Sherwin, Thomas ShurtlefT, Samuel A. Simpson, Paul Smith, Jerome V. C. Sparhawk, Thomas Stevenson, J. Greely Storer, D. Humphreys Strong, Woodbridge Sullivan, Richard Sumner, Frederick A. Thomas, Alexander Walter, Lynde M. Ware, John Warren, Edward Warren, J. Mason Webster, John W. Weston, Alden B. Whittemore, Thomas J. Wigglesworth, Samuel CORRESPONDING MEMBERS. Benjamin Lincoln, Burlington, Vt. Isaac Pray, Eastport, Me,