TRANSACTIONS 



OF THE 



MARYLAND ACADEMY OP SCIENCES 



1888 



SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF THE MARYLAND ACADEMY 



OF SCIENCES. 



The present Maryland Academy of Sciences was organized 

 by Mr. Philip T. Tyson, Rev. John G. Morris, and several 

 other prominent gentlemen of the city of Baltimore, with a 

 view to the cultivation of a scientific spirit in this community, 

 and to enlarge the boundaries of their own knowledge through 

 comparison and discussion with other students of the sciences. 

 A prominent object of the organization was also to^ acquire 

 wider and more accurate information respecting the natural 

 resources of the State of INIaryland. 



In May, 1855, several of these gentlemen, who were mem- 

 bers of the Maryland Historical Society, formed a " Committee 

 on Natural History," by act of that Society, and met fortnightly 

 in one of its small rooms until the close of the year 1862. 



On the 22d of January, 1863, a meeting was held at the 

 house of Mr. Philip T. Tyson, and the present Maryland 

 Academy of Sciences was organized by the adoption of a con- 

 stitution and the election of Mr. Tyson as its President. The 

 meetings of this organization M'ere thenceforth held every fort- 

 night at the house of some one of the members, until April, 

 1867, when they were transferred to the building of the Uni- 

 versity of Maryland, on Mulberry Street, nearly opposite the 

 Cathedral. In 1867 an act of incorporation was asked from 

 the Legislature of Maryland, and this was granted on the IStli 

 of March of the same year. 



Vol. I. Dec. 19, 1888. 



