PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 123 



day. The premature death by pneumonia of Dr. Binney cut oft' 

 many promising plans for the promotion of science and art in 

 America. Those interested in land shells, however, do not need 

 to be told that his son, Mr. William G. Binney, has well sus 

 tained his father's reputation in the same field. Dr. Binney was 

 above the average height, robust, well formed and refined in 

 appearance. His hair and eyes were very dark, and his expres 

 sion grave and reserved. This and the somewhat severe tone of 

 his voice was apt to convey to those who did not know him an 

 impression of hauteur, which did not correspond to the real feel 

 ings of the man. An excellent biographical sketch is given by 

 Dr. Gould in the first volume of the Terrestrial Mollusks, which 

 was published in 1851. Dr. Binney was buried at Mount Au 

 burn, where the monument which commemorates him is one of 

 those to which the stranger's attention is always attracted. 



CHARLES BAKER ADAMS. 



Charles Baker Adams, one of the most industrious and best 

 known American conchologists, was born in Dorchester, Massa 

 chusetts, on the eleventh of January, 1814. Of a family of six 

 children he was the only one spared to his parents. When four 

 years old his father, Mr. Charles J. Adams, removed permanently 

 to Boston, where he engaged in business. At an early age the 

 boy showed great interest in chemistry and natural history, in 

 which he was encouraged by his parents, who gave him the use 

 of a room for a laboratory and furnished the means for procuring 

 chemicals and apparatus. The time usually given to play by 

 most lads of his age was largely occupied by young Adams in 

 experimenting with reagents or studying and arranging the vari 

 ous objects of natural history which he collected in excursions 

 with his father or received from friends. He studied in the Bos 

 ton schools, at Phillips Academy, Andover, and entered Yale 

 College in October, 1830. In September, 1831, he removed to 



