PROCEEDINGS OF THE EIGHTH ANNUAL MEETING 



KANSAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



The oii^hth annual meeting of the Kansas Academy of Science was held in the 

 Senate Chamber, at Topeka, beginning at 3 p. >i. October 12th, and closing at 10 

 p. M. October 13th. 



Among the proceedings of the Academj-, the following will be of public interest: 



A resolution was presented and passed as follows : 



^^ Resolved, That the increasing popular demand for scientific information makes 

 it a duty of members of this Association to embrace every appropriate occasion to 

 aid the ettorts of those seeking the introduction of the natural sciences into the 

 common schools." 



A committee, consisting of Profs. W. K. Kedzie, M. V. B. Knox and B. F. Mudge, 

 was appointed to draft resolutions in regard to the necessity for a geological survey 

 of the State, for presentation to the Legislature. The following report was iman- 

 imously adopted as an expression of the oi^inions of the Academy : 



" It is now notoriously the fact that tons of choice minerals and fossils of Kansas 

 are being shipped by collectors to the cabinets of eastern universities. 



" It is exceedingly important for the educational and scientific interests of the 

 State that these valuable specimens should be detained in the cabinets of the State. 



"There is also a constantly increasing demand for more accurate and intelligent 

 information as to the coal, gypsum, salt and other resources of the State. 



" It is also well known that much money has been wasted in this State, in useless 

 mining enterprises, which might have been saved by proper geological knowledge. 

 Therefore, 



"■ Resolved, 1st, That in the opinion of this Academy, a thorough geological sur- 

 vey of the State is imperatively needed. 



"2d. This survey is necessary to develop fully the coal, salt, gypsum, lead, zinc, 

 building stone, ochre and other resources of the State. 



"3d. That such a survey should also include a thorough investigation of the 

 rain-fall, spring and river system and general water supply of the State. 



" 4th. That the material already accumulated by this Academy, including lists 

 of plants, birds, minerals and insects of the State, will be gladly contributed to this 

 work. 



"5th. That not only would such a survey place us on an equality with the more 

 adviuiced States of the Union, but must prove for the State a most profitable mon- 

 etarj' investment." 



The resolutions were given to the Executive Committee of the Academy, who 

 were directed to act thereon in conjunction with the State Board of Agriculture. 



The following papers were read : 



Additions to the Catalogue of the Lepidoptera (jf Kansas, by Prof F. H. Snow. 



Observations on the Botany of Kansas, with list of Plants observed since last 

 year, by Prof. J. H. Carruth. 



Descriptions of the several stages of Plaejiodera scrij)ta Fabr.— by William 

 Osburn. 



