yanuary 3, 1870. 



Vice-President Wislizenus in the chair. 



Sixteen members present. 



Dr. Green reported resolutions commemorative of our deceased 

 associate, Dr. F. E. Baumgarten, which were adopted as follows : 



"Whereas, In the death of F. E. Baumgarten, M.D., the 

 Academy of Science of St. Louis has lost one of its oldest and 

 most respected associates ; 



" Resolved, That the Academy record its testimony to the ster- 

 ling integrity of character, the kindly nature, and the eminent 

 professional, scientific and literary attainments of our late colleague 

 and officer, and that we tender to the surviving members of his 

 family our heartfelt sympathy in their great bereavement." 



Dr. Wislizenus read his annual report of Meteorology and At- 

 mospheric Electricity observed at St. Louis for the last year. 

 Referred to the Committee on Publication. 



Dr. A. Wislizenus, acting President of the Academy, then de- 

 livered his annual address, as follows : 



ANNUAL ADDRESS. 



Fellow-Members of the Academy :— The last year has been one of 

 uncommon fatality. Our late President, Dr. B. F. Shumard, prostrated by 

 hopeless disease, paid his debt to nature and left a vacuum in our midst that 

 cannot be easily filled. His eminent services in geology and palaeontology 

 were appreciated both here and in Europe, and no member of the Academy 

 is at present capable of filling his place. Another active member of our 

 society, Dr. F. E. Baumgarten, was unexpectedly taken from us by a sad 

 accident that cut off his useful career within a few days. Aside from these 

 personal losses, we suffered a great material loss in the conflagration which 

 in the month of May destroyed the building, where, by the generosity of 

 Dr. Pope and his successor, Dr. Hodgen, we were accustomed to hold our 

 regular meetings, and where we kept our Museum and Library. The Mu- 

 seum, collected by the labor of long years, and containing most valuable 

 specimens in all branches of natural science, but especially in Western pa- 

 laeontology, has been destroyed almost entirely. The few remnants that are 

 left are comparatively of inferior value, or a great deal injured. The only 

 specimens of higher value left uninjured are the skull of the "Bos cavi- 

 fro?is" some vertebra? of the mastodon, and several meteorites. As all 

 our cases, too, have been destroyed, and our finances are not very flourish- 

 ing, we shall have to begin again on a small scale, and preserve only speci- 

 mens of greater value, and not requiring much care or labor. Although 

 the loss of our Museum was a hard blow to the Academy, we had, after all 

 the satisfaction of saving our entire Library. This Library, acquired 



