36 Kansas Academy of Science. 



time with a very small attendance and the organization effected. The 

 name chosen, Kansas Natural History Society, was adopted from the 

 Illinois Natural History Society, of which Professor Parker had been 

 a member. The following officers were elected: President, B. F. Mudge; 

 vice president, J. S. Whitman; secretary, J. D. Parker; treasurer, F. H. 

 Snow; curator, J. A. Banfield. No papers were read at this meeting. 

 The second meeting was held at Topeka, September 7, 1869, with a very 

 small attendance. The following papers were read: 



On the Internal Heat of the Earth. B. F. Mudge. 

 On Solving the Higher Equations. Edward Cove. 

 A public lecture on The Moundbuilders was given by J. D. Parker. 



The officers of the previous year were reelected. The attendance at this 

 meeting was so small, the state of the treasury so unsatisfactory, that a 

 general feeling of gloom and doubt as to the existence of the society was 

 very evident. Here, as on so many other occasions, the energy and opti- 

 mism of Professor Mudge came to the rescue. He urged the members 

 not to despise the day of small things, and to never say fail until they 

 had really failed. The society was unanimously invited by the three 

 professors of the state university to hold the next meeting in Lawrence, 

 and the invitation was gladly accepted. 



The third meeting was held in the University building at Lawrence, 

 September 5 and 6, 1870. This meeting proved to be the turning point 

 in the life of the society. The following papers were read: 



On the Plants of Kansas. J. H. Carruth. 



On the Fishes of the Kansas River, as Observed at Lawrence. 



F. H. Snow. 

 On the Internal Heat of the Earth. J. D. Parker. 

 On the Comparison of the Coals of Kansas with Other Western 



Coals. W. H. Saunders. 

 On the Saurian Formation of Kansas. B. F. Mudge. 

 On the Moss Agate Formation of Kansas. B. F. Mudge. 



The following public lectures were delivered : 



On Aims, Organization and Advantage of Scientific Associations. 



John Eraser. 

 On Hugh Miller, or the Workingman's Education. J. H. Burrows. 



At this meeting resolutions were presented urging the enlargement 

 of the scope of the society so as to include every line of scientific ex- 

 ploration and investigation, and to change its name to the Kansas Acad- 

 emy of Science. These resolutions were adopted at the fourth annual 

 meeting held at Leavenworth, October 25 and 26, 1871. Beginning with 

 the third meeting, the progress of the society was rapid, as is shown by 

 the number of papers read, and their character. 



At the meeting of the legislature in 1873 the Academy was made a 

 coordinate branch of the State Board of Agriculture, and given per- 

 mission to have its proceedings published by the state printer, and also 

 given quarters in the capitol building. This unsolicited act was a well- 

 merited recognition of the work the Academy was undertaking. 



Thus far I have followed the reports of the Society literally in an en- 

 deavor to show the meagre beginnings, the difficulties and discourage- 

 ments of the organization. The development of the state has been so 



