6 MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



III. At what time and place should the meeting for organization be 

 called? 



IV. Could you contribute to the program of such a meeting if one 

 were called? 



Replies should be addressed to J. E. Reighard, Ann Arbor. 



(Signed.) 



V. M. SPALDING, 



Professor of Botanv. 

 W. H. HOWELL, 



Professor of Phvsiologv. 

 J. E. REIGHARD,*^ 

 Asst. Professor of Zoology. 

 J. B. STEERE, 



Professor of Zoology. 



The answers received to this letter were various, but all agreed, or 

 nearly all, that an organization w\as desirable and that the membership 

 should not be closely restricted. 



Owing to press of work on the men whose names are signed to the letter 

 the matter was carried no farther at that time. 



In the spring of 1894 the matter of a vState society was again discussed 

 at the University, but three of those whose signatures stand at the close 

 in the preceding circular letter could take no active part in immediate 

 effort since Professor Spalding w^as absent in Europe, Professor Reighard 

 was about to leave for Europe, and Professor Howell was no longer con- 

 nected with the University. 



At that time Professor F. C. Newcoiiibe, finding that others were willing 

 to cooperate, i>repared, with the help of Professors Steele and Lombard, 

 the following circular letter, whicli was sent to about fifty people in the 

 State, calling for a meeting for purposes of organization. 



UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, 



• BOTANICAL LABORATORY, 



Ann Arbor, June 21, 1894. 



From inquiries made of various persons throughout the State, it has 

 been found that there is a general desire for the organization of a State 

 Natural History Society. 



The replies to these inquiries have indicated a two-fold work for such a 

 society: (1) co-ordinated scientific research; (2) improvement of methods 

 of teaching. The active membership of the society should therefore con- 

 sist of investigators and teachers and others directly interested in natural 

 history. 



The undersigned therefore unite in issuing a call for a meeting for the 

 organization of a State Natural History Society at Ann Arbor, Wednes- 

 day, June 27th, 4 o'clock p. m., in the University Main Building, Room 11, 

 to which you are invited. 



The meeting wall be addressed by Dr. Steere of the University, Pro- 

 fessors Beal and Wheeler of the Agricultural College, Professor Scherzer 

 of the State Normal, Professor Ward of the Michigan Fish Commission 

 Survey and by others. At this meeting. besid(^s the organization, it is 

 hoped to get some profitable work under way. 



