278 DAVENPORT ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 



been idle, and bring us a cheering record. Continuing the printing of 

 Vol. v., which was previously begun, 88 pages have been completed 

 and paid for — an increase of 25 per cent over the previous report, and 

 a better exhibit than has been made for several years. The excellent 

 portrait of Prof. D. S. Sheldon, the honored first president and life- 

 time friend of the Academy, which is to embellish the book, is pro- 

 vided and ready, and the volume, which approaches completion, will 

 soon follow its predecessors, carrying the good name of Davenport 

 and its Academy with honor to the libraries and savants of almost 

 every land. 



The Museum has received some valuable additions to its cabinets, 

 though the showing here is less than in any one of recent years. Con- 

 siderable improvement has nevertheless been made in this department 

 whereby the Curator has been enabled to uni)ack and display many 

 specimens not heretofore available to interest and instruct our mem- 

 bers and visitors. The west basement room, with some slight altera- 

 tion, has been put in order, and four large new cases (the need for 

 which I mentioned in my address of last year) have been provided and 

 set up at an expense of $70 or more. No part of this amount has, 

 however, been drawn from the treasury — thanks to a few tried and 

 free-hearted friends. In this connection it is proper to remark, and I 

 deem it worthy of record, that our valued and now lamented friend 

 and fellow citizen, Hon. George H. French, whose generous aid the 

 Academy had often known before, was the first to respond to this ex- 

 pression of her necessities. He promptly proposed to bear one-fourth 

 the cost of all the cases, and doubtless thus made possible the securing 

 the whole amount. The Horticultural Society, another faithful friend 

 (I might say friends), with great unanimity also voted to contribute a 

 fourth. The third giver of a like amount forbids the mention of his 

 name ; but such an act of liberality by one whose riches consist not so 

 much of worldly goods as of goodness and greatness of heart, could 

 not have been necessary to prove his abiding interest and love in and 

 for the Academy, which, if not wholly springing from his own sug- 

 gestions, is and has been, from the day of its beginning, the object of 

 his constant self-sacrificing care and attention. The remaining fourth 

 was contributed and partly collected by the Academy's ever-faithful 

 friend and supporter, Mrs. Putnam. Thus in the extremities of need 

 great-souled, ministering friends arise. The new room has already 

 become a useful annex to the Museum. 



The Library has maintained throughout the year its usual steady 

 and gratifying increase. Its importance and value, per consequence, 

 grow with its growth, and if the Academy accomplished nothing be- 

 side the accumulation of these treasures in our midst, its existence 

 would be amply justified and all our contributions of time, effort, and 

 means abundantly rewarded. 



A considerable addition to the book-shelves, reported last year as 

 urgently needed, has been supplied and freighted, and ere long there 

 will again be heard a cry for shelves. Let us not turn from the welcome 



