DAVENPORT ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 95 



ing the Proceedings alive was foremost in mind. Mrs. Putnam 

 exercised every energy to secure the funds. The curatorship had 

 passed from Prof. Pratt to Prof. Barris, whose important papers 

 on local geology are a valuable part of the Proceedings. Leav- 

 ing to him all the curator's duties and more, she devoted herself 

 to this. In 1895 she saw her desires gained : a bequest of ten 

 thousand dollars was left in that year by Mrs. Mary P. Bull as a 

 permanent publication fund, a memorial to Charles E. and J. 

 Duncan Putnam. 



With this substantial encouragement the academy now looks 

 forward with increasing hope. Much needed improvements have 

 just been made in building and cases ; books have been rearranged 

 in the library ; much needed binding of pamphlets and magazines 

 has been done. The membership is increasing, and when the 

 faithful few long toilers are gone new recruits will be ready. 

 Definite plans of growth and development are shaping themselves. 

 An effort is making to raise the permanent endowivent fund to 

 fifty thousand dollars. When 

 that is done a paid secretaryship 

 can be established to direct and 

 organize the work. Then, with 

 permanent publication secured 

 and direction and activity in- 

 sured, an effort will be made to 

 complete the building. The edi- 

 fice already constructed is only 

 the rear part of a far more ex- 

 tensive one. On the lot before 

 it is ample space for a large and 

 imposing structure. The pres- 

 ent building is of brick, and is 

 in two stories. The dimensions 

 are shown on the accompanying 

 ground plans. The front door 

 opens on a central hallway, on 

 either side of which is a small, 

 square room. One of these is the 

 office and workroom of the cura- 

 tor ; the other contains the Put- 



nam entomological collection and library, and is used for the regu- 

 lar monthly meetings of the academy. Behind these rooms is the 

 main museum hall. It consists of a ground floor, with a second- 

 story gallery running around its four sides. On the main floor 

 are the collections in natural history, representing all depart- 

 ments, and particularly rich in local zoology and geology. Here 

 are the results of the field work of Sheldon, Pratt, Barris, and 



X 



Fig. rj. Charles E. Putnam. 



