ORIGINAL CALL. 



The following is a copy of the original call for the first meet- 

 ing, which was issued by Professor Samuel F. Clarke, of 

 Williamstown : — 



A number of American workers in Biology, desiring to have established 

 an association of American naturalists for business purposes, extend to you 

 a cordial invitation to join in a movement looking toward that end. 



The intention is to have an annual meeting, for the purpose of discuss- 

 ing topics of common interest, for which, at present, no opportunity is 

 afforded; as, for example, museum interests, in connection with which 

 each museum director could indicate his plan of work, the special group 

 of which he was making exhaustive collections, so that work may not be 

 uselessly duplicated in manj'^ places; methods of museum work; methods 

 of exhibition, etc.; methods of laboratory work; laboratory technique; 

 new and valuable points in staining, mounting, cutting, and preserving 

 of sections; systems of instruction in various departments of natural 

 science ; methods with small elective classes ; with large college classes ; 

 the position which the observational sciences should hold in the college 

 curriculum ; the amount of natural science which should appear in col- 

 lege entrance examinations ; the amount and character of such instruction 

 in preparatory schools, etc. 



It is further believed that such a society could materially influence for 

 the better the cause of science in America; that it would have a very health- 

 ful general effect, and could exert a strong influence in many directions 

 where at present it seems to be very much needed. It is proposed to have 

 the first meeting, which will be preliminary to organization, and, there- 

 fore, of prime importance, at Springfield, Mass., in the Springfield High 

 School Hall, Friday, April loth. 



The following gentlemen are interested in the enterprise, and nearly all 

 of them will be among those present : [the names are J. M. Tylor, A. Hyatt, 

 C. S. Minot, A. S. Packard, Jr., S. H. Scudder, II. N. Martin, W. T. Sedg- 

 wick, G. Macloskie, W. Libbey, H. F. Osborn, W. B. Scott, W. N. Rice, 

 S. I. Smith; S. F. Clarke, (Sec re/a ry)}. 



