FIELD :MEETINGS. 



It was fitting that the first "Field Meeting" of the Indiana Academy of 

 Science should be held at Brookville. There the idea of such an organ- 

 ization originated. There the steps were taken, tlirough the Brookville 

 Society of Natural History, by which the scientific investigators of the 

 state were brought together at Indianapolis, December 29th, 1885, to 

 adopt articles of association and eflfect an organization. 



This first Field Meeting began Thursday evening, May 20th, 1886. The 

 Academy was welcomed by Mr. D. W. McKee, President of the Brookville 

 Society of Xatural History. President D. S. Jordan responded to his greet- 

 ings. Dr. John €. Branner delivered an address on "The relations now 

 existing between geologists and the people." The next day was devoted 

 to visiting the localities of interest to 1 he persons attending. Luncheon 

 was served at "Templeton's ford," on the east fork of White Water river, 

 In the deep, clear water of the pool above the ford the baptism took place 

 and the first "Field Meeting" was declared by the president to be a success.' 

 Eecollections of that day — the first of united scientific work in Indiana, 

 a meeting more successful by far than had been dreamed of, and yet 

 which bespoke the fuller fruition to which the child of our minds should 

 come in later years — can never be eftaced. 



At night a public meeting was held in the Town Hall. Dr. Jordan 

 delivered an address on "Charles Darwin." He also told " How to uo 

 fishing." Dr. Branner gave an account of methods of coral fishing. Dr. 

 P. S. Baker spoke of recent j>rogress in Toxicology. The number of per- 

 sons attending that meeting, and strange so say, several others, was thirty- 

 three. 



The second " Field Meeting" of the Academy began its session at Wave- 

 land, Ind., May I'Jth, 1887. The meeting that evening was informal — 

 thoroughly so. The recollections of it will remain with those who partic- 

 ipated, and it would hardly be j ust to attempt to give an account of the 

 proceedings for the benefit of others. 



The following morning the members were driven to "Shades of Death," 

 a delightful spot adjacent to Sugar creek. There the day was spent 

 and luncheon served. FiVery one had heard of this beautiful spot, shaded, 

 well watered, with its canons, the clift's of which were topped with pine 

 and hemlock, and the walls draped with ferns and bedecked with mosses ; 



