Ruschenberger.] IrrO [April 1, 



an lionorable evidence of a skill and industry which entitle him to a high 

 rank among philosophical zoologists." 



Dr. Leidy, in 1845, contributed three papers — anatomical descriptions 

 of mollusks named — to the Boston Society of Natural History, which were 

 published in its Journal and Proceedings. 



On nomination by Dr. Samuel George Morton and Messrs. John S. 

 Phillips and John Cassin, Dr. Leidy was elected a member of the A.cademy 

 of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, July 39, 1845, then at the northwest 

 corner of Broad and Sansom streets. 



At that period natural history interested comparatively few persons in 

 the community, and by those few was regarded chiefly as a rational 

 pastime. 



A brief retrospect of the subject, which is nearly associated with Dr. 

 Leidy's career, may be permitted to recall its ancient standing and prog- 

 ress in public estimation. 



John Hyacinth de Magellan, of London, in 1786, gave to the American 

 Philosophical Society (of which he was chosen a member January, 1784) 

 two hundred guineas, to be a permanent fund, the interest thereof to be 

 annually awarded by the Society in premiums "to the author of the best 

 discovery or the most useful invention, relating to navigation, astronomy 

 or natural philosophy {mere natural history only excepted)."* 



This exception, though seemingly contemptuous, was wise. Had natu- 

 ralists been eligible to receive those premiums. Dr. Leidy alone, who 

 almost annually discovered many genera and species, might have earned 

 the whole income of the fund. Magellan's opinion, which was probably 

 common in his day, seems to have been that to discover and describe 

 natural species of any kind is comparatively so easy, requires so little 

 inventive aptitude and intellectual force, and the discovery itself imports 

 so little to the good of mankind that such work needs no encouragement. 

 A century's experience has modified this notion in many respects. 



Natural history attracted very little attention in Philadelphia during the 

 first quarter of the present century. There were some botanists, but very 

 few were interested in other branches of natural science. 



A half dozen gentlemen who, at chance meetings, often discussed ques- 

 tions connected with the subject, formally assembled, .January, 1812, at 

 the residence of one of them, to form a natural history society. They 

 styled themselves "Friends of science and rational disposal of leisure 

 moments." After due consideration at several meetings they founded, 

 March 21, 1812, "The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia." 



* John Hyacinth de Magellan, a Portuguese physicist, was born in Lisbon in 1723. He 

 claimed that Magellan, the first circumnavigator, was one of his ancestral kinsmen. 



He long sojourned in tlie convents of St. Augnstin, of which he assumed the habit , 

 and removed to England about 1764, to devote himself to the study of physical science, 

 and died at Islington, near London, January 7, 1790. 



He was elected a member of the Royal Society of London, 1774, and was also a member 

 of the Academies of Paris, Madrid and St. Petersburg. NouvcUe Biographie general depui& 

 leg temps les plus reculcs juaqtic nos jours. Firmin Didot, Frercs, Paris, ISfiO. 



