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more successful founding and work of the present academy you 
are familiar. 
The question of how best to carry on our work may well call 
for a few moments attention. 
In Buffalo the Historical Society, the Academy of Science, 
and some kindred organizations are under the same roof, with- 
out any vital connection as societies, and sometimes partially 
encroaching on each other’s field. In archaeological specimens 
the academy far outranks the Historical Society there, and I have 
twice lectured before it on subjects of this nature. In our city 
you will observe that the Historical Society is broad in its aims, 
in its constitution takes cognizance of some natural sciences, 
appointing committees on them, and has a collection of shells of 
much interest and extent. Harmonious action seems thus pro- 
vided for at the outset, and the Botany Club has an understood 
relation to the older society. A botanical class meets here reg- 
ularly, and there is a good basis for conchological study. Were 
there no other resource it would be admitted that all societies of 
this nature might profitably be united as auxiliaries of the His- 
torical Association, in studying and preserving illustrative exam- 
ples of the past history of this county, not only of its men, but of 
its animal, vegetable and mineral forms. Man is but the cap- 
stone of a great pyramid, and all things existing affect his work 
and well being. The Central City is that of the salt springs, ab- 
horred by the aborigines, but valued by the whites, and the min- 
eral wealth of our land not only supports great industries, but 
founds great towns. So men are interested in man’s natural 
auxiliaries. I think the Historical Association never had a live- 
lier session than when one evening it discussed local geology. 
Our county, the whole world, is a part of man’s history. We are 
made by environment. 
No man can study one science thoroughly without a knowl- 
edge of some others. I am giving much attention to archeological 
work, but in this every department of natural history helps me 
out. It is often of vital importance to know what a shell, a tooth, 
a bone, a piece of stone may be. So that a society like this ought 
to be an adjunct of any well equipped Historical Association. An 
