\aiiced material development. Our social life throbs to the 

 loftiest achievements in science, literature and art, and the 

 world looks to us t,o bear aloft the standard of liberty, justice 

 and peace. 



Especially in science do we seem to have moved up close 

 to the firins: line, and this organization and its members indi- 

 vidually have borne an honorable part in the advance. 



The location of the Mount Wilson solar observatory in this 

 county and the installation of a corps of observers of world- 

 wide fame, have ])laced us in touch with the most progressive 

 astronomy. It is a satisfaction to know that one of the mem- 

 bers of this Academy — the late John D. Hooker — contrilnited 

 toward the great hundred-inch reflector there in preparation, 

 more than one hundred thousand dollars. 



The opening of the most remarkable deposit of prehistoric 

 animal remains ever discovered, in the Brea beds near this 

 city, has attracted hither the attention of archaeologists and 

 savants throughout the world. In grasping the importance 

 of this discovery at an early day ; in raising funds and ob- 

 taining concessions for exploration, and in mounting the first 

 complete skeletons of several species, thereby forming the 

 nucleus of the present collection in the Museum of History, 

 Science and Art, this organization accomplished a work of last- 

 ing benefit to the cause of science. Here also our late asso- 

 ciate, John D. Hooker, was the first and a most generous con- 

 tributor. " I regret t.hat another member. Prof. J. Z. Gilbert, 

 is not with us tonight. It was he, wdio, with his staff of 

 assistants and high school pupils, performed the unattractive 

 and unaesthetic task of excavating, cleaning and assembling 

 these bones. Great credit is due Prof. Gilbert, who worked 

 without financial reward, and his efficient and earnest pupil- 

 assistants who, to a consideralde extent, contributed their 

 efforts. 



In the field of California flora, and also in ornithology, our 

 associate. Dr. Anstruther Davidson, has made indefatigable 

 research, and his papers, published in the Bulletin of the Aca- 

 demv throughout these years, have attracted world-wide atten- 

 tion.' It is a pleasure to note his contribution to the museum 

 of botannical specimens representing twenty years of painstak- 

 ing collection. 



To our associate, Mr. B. R. Baumgardt, the speaker of this 

 evening, the Academy owes a debt of gratitude deep and en- 

 during^ It was he, as Secretary in the old days for many suc- 

 cessive terms, and afterward as President, who did more than 

 any other man t,o keep interest awake and hold together the 

 struggling organization. It is a great pleasure to know that 

 in entering the field as a professional lecturer on matters of 

 scientific, historical and ethical interest, he has achieved so 

 pronounced a success, and that, in coming back to us with 



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