402 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1880. 



Tiyon, Jr., published by the nuthorand issued from the Academy, 

 has been pviblished duriui' the year. It includes 289 pages of 

 text, 70 plates with 975 figures. 



Professor Leidy's admirable work on " Fresh-Wster Rhizopods 

 of North America," forming Yol. XII of the final reports of the 

 United States Geological and Geographical Survey of the Terri- 

 tories, under the direction of Dr. F. V. Hayden, is so closely 

 connected with the Academy, that its publication during the j-ear 

 may be mentioned here. Dr, Leidy, at the stated meetings of the 

 society, gave verbal accounts of very many fresh-water rhizopods 

 which are described in his work, and the Academy's librarj^ was 

 the sole source from which he was enabled to prepare the bibli- 

 ography of the subject. 



Few persons devote their whole time and energies to natural 

 history for a living. Generally, the study is an occupation for 

 leisure hours, and may be regarded as a secondary pursuit among 

 us, which yields little or nothing towards a livelihood. Satisfactory 

 study of natural history requires so much to aid its votaries, in the 

 way of collections and books, that it is extremely rare to find any one 

 person rich enough to procure all that is needed. For this reason 

 manj^ of like tastes associate, each contributing his quota, for the 

 purpose of gathering what is necessary or desirable to be used in 

 common for self-instruction. 



In one sense the Academy may be regarded as an association 

 of this kind. 



A prominent object of the Society is to afford opportunity to 

 those who desire to undertake self-culture in any or all the de- 

 partments of the natural sciences. From its beginning in 1812, 

 continuously to the present time, members have freely contributed 

 specimens to its museum, and books to its library. Besides 

 materials of this kind they have given money liberally, established 

 permanent funds for several specific purposes, and employed what- 

 ever time the}' could fairly take from their daily avocations in 

 working with their own hands to render the constantly increasing 

 means of stud}^ as easil}^ available as possible. The value of per- 

 sonal labor gratuitously given to establish and promote the growth 

 of this institution cannot be over-estimated. A result of the joint 

 efforts of the members of the societ}^ since its foundation is the 

 opportunity of self-instruction here liberally afforded to those who 

 may choose to avail themselves of it. 



