Circular Letter. ix 



The Society having appointed a Committee to coUe6l informa- 

 tion refpe&ing the pajl and prefent Jlatc of this country, 

 the Committee during the lajl year addreffed the follo-jning 

 letter tofueh pcrfons as 'xere likely^ in their opinion, to ad- 

 vance the objeB of the Society. 



[CIRCULAR.] 



PHILOSOPHICAL HALL, PHILADELPHIA. 

 Sir, 



A H E American Philofophlcal Society have always 

 confidered the antiquity, changes, and prefent ftate of their 

 own country as primary objects of their refearch ; and 

 with a view to facilitate fuch difcoveries, a permanent 

 committee has been eftablifhed, among whole duties the 

 following have been recommended as requiring particular 

 attention. 



1 . To procure one or more entire (keletons of the Mam- 

 inoth, fo called, and of fuch other unknown animals as 

 either have been, or hereafter may be difcovered in America. 



2. To obtain accurate plans, drawings and defcriptions of 

 whatever is interefting, (where the originals cannot be had) 

 and efpecially of ancient Fortifications, Tumuli, and other 

 Indian works of art : afcertaining the materials compofing 

 them, their contents, the purpofes for which they were 

 probably defigned, &c. 



3. To invite refearches into the Natural Hiftory of the 

 Earth, the changes it has imdergone as to Mountains, 

 Lakes, Rivers, Prairies, &c. 



Vol. V. b 4. To 



