THE FIRST HALF CENTURY OF THE INSTITUTE. 49 



was the first person in America to dredge the sea and 

 study the sea-fauna of this region. Professor Putnam 

 described the rude appliances with which this result was 

 accomplished. 



He said that the importance of such an institution as 

 Doctor Wheatland had created, to the country at large, 

 and especially to young naturalists, could not be over- 

 stated. Its plans and methods were widely copied, and he 

 watched the development of Doctor Wheatland's schemes 

 with as great enthusiasm, now that he was no longer 

 actively engaged in them, as he did in earlier years when 

 his own success in life almost depended upon them. 



He gave several instances of the singular and character- 

 istic methods adopted by Doctor Wheatland, to procure 

 the funds required. Once the speaker was publishing a 

 work describing every species of bird in Essex County. 

 When the last bird was ready to be mounted for descrip- 

 tion, the money was lacking, and Professor Putnam com- 

 plained to the Doctor that the specimen would perish. 

 Ten dollars was the sum required at that crisis, and there 

 was no money for that or any other purpose. Doctor 

 Wheatland, after a moment's thought, said, "Fred, we 

 must secure more members, and stuff the specimen out 

 of their admittance fees." And out into the street he 

 went and secured enough members to meet the deficit. 



It seems impossible, said the speaker, to be present 

 at a meeting of the Institute and not to believe that 

 Doctor Wheatland is with us still. And Mr. Hunt also, 

 who had in so great a measure taken up the self-imposed 

 task of the Doctor and carried it on until he too has left 

 to others the continuation of the work. I should indeed 

 be recreant, said Professor Putnam, if I were present at 

 the fiftieth anniversary of the Institute and failed to re- 

 spond to the call for a word of tribute to its noble dead. 



ESSEX INST. BULLETIN, VOL. XXX 4 



