224 



"At the age of lo or ii years he began collecting fossils,. 

 minerals, plants, shells and insects, but gradually narrowed down 

 the scope of his intellect, if the statement may be permitted, to 

 the department of entomology. In 1872 he accompanied Dr. C. 

 C. Parry to Colorado, where, during three months spent high up 

 in the mountains, large collections were made in various depart- 

 ments of Natural History. There they were visited by the two 

 eminent botanists, Dr. John Torrey and Dr. Asa Gray. The winter 

 following was spent in hard study. In 1873, again in company 

 with Dr. Parry, he was attached to Capt. Jones' expedition to 

 the Yellowstone, as meteorologist, and carried a barometer for 

 more than 1000 miles on mule back through some of the roughest 

 districts of the Wyoming and the National park. In his reports 

 of this expedition Capt. Jones makes frequent and honorable 

 mention of the deceased, and the important and valuable service 

 which he rendered to the cause of science." 



On the founding of the " Davenport Academy of Natural 

 Sciences," in 1867, he was one of its earliest members and 

 devoted himself, heart and soul to the benefit of the society. 

 "On the 28th of April, 1871, he was elected Recording Sec- 

 retary, a position which he retained until January, 1875, when ill 

 health caused him to resign. He was appointed a member of 

 the Publishing Committee in November, 1875, and Chairman of 

 the same in January, 1877. ^^ November, 1876, he was elected 

 Corresponding Secretary. In the spring of that year he com- 

 menced the publication of the proceedings of the Academy, and 

 at the time of his death, he had been for nearly a year President 

 of the Academy, combining with the duties of that office those 

 of Secretary and Editor of the Proceedings." He was essentially 

 a hard worker, too much so, perhaps, for the frail body which en- 

 closed his aspiring and inquiring soul, and in all that he under- 

 took, " thoroughness and truth " was his motto. His papers on 

 Leucaniiini accricola, W. and R. (the Maple barklouse) are valu- 

 able contributions to entomology ; while his researches into the 

 life-history and classification of the singular Arachnid family, 

 SolpiigidcB, if he had lived to publish them, would have made his 

 name famous wherever science is known. It is not many months 

 since, that he spent several days in the libraries of New York and 

 Boston, in searching for literature upon this little known group of 

 animals, and it is to be hoped that he has left behind him some 

 MSS. upon this subject, which may yet see the light. 



Mr. Putnam was early elected a Corresponding Member of 

 the N. Y. Entom. Club, and manifested the warmest interest in 

 its success, the state of his health and his constant occupation 

 being the only obstacles to his frequent contributions to our 

 columns. He died, as he had lived, full of hope, an earnest, brave, 

 and gentle soul, animated by kindness for all, and leaving behind 

 him none but those who admired his character, and who love and 

 honor his memory. Hv. Edwards. 



