PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 125 



In his domestic relations he was gentle and affectionate ; in his 

 friendships, faithful and generous. His earnestness and ability as 

 a teacher gave him popularity and success in his college duties, 

 while his private character was above reproach. He was quiet 

 and studious in his habits, but had the true New England genius 

 for hard work ; having in his laboratory at the college an old 

 green lounge, where it is said he sought repose in the early morn 

 ing hours after many a night devoted to original research. Indeed, 

 it is commonly reported among those who knew him that he re 

 linquished to Nature only so much of his time as she imperatively 

 demanded and fairly burned his candle at both ends. Notwith 

 standing his quiet ways, he was not a man to be imposed upon, 

 and among the college legends, still passed from class to class 

 at Amherst, are several which relate the signal discomfiture of 

 would-be shirkers of their duties, which made him the terror 

 of the lazv men in his classes. 



Professor Adams' work was distinguished by care and accu 

 racy, by a philosophical grasp unusual at that day, and which, 

 had he been unhampered by the current theories of the creation 

 and immutability of species, would have given him an even 

 higher rank among naturalists. He monographed the mollusk- 

 fauna of Panama, and did more than any other single naturalist 

 toward making known the riches of the West Indian region. He 

 emphasized the study of the geographical distribution of animals, 

 and as a collector was unparalleled both in enthusiasm and suc 

 cess. 



His remarkable collection (probably even now standing third 

 or fourth in the United States in point of interest and value, and 

 its number of contained types) he left under liberal conditions to 

 Amherst College, where it still remains. His publications are 

 among the classics of American conchology, and well bear com 

 parison with many more pretentious works. Like most Amer 

 ican naturalists Prof. Adams was never in affluent circumstances, 



