3o6 DAVENPORT ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 



ways and means as well as the collector of the funds which have made 

 the publication a success, which has been the means of making us as 

 well as, if not better known abroad than at home ; thus by its success com- 

 pelling the acknowledgement of the doubters and the public generally, 

 of the wisdom and the benefit of our publication, the importance of 

 which we must keep constantly in view and endeavor to raise a perma- 

 nent publication fund in order that original papers can be published in 

 due time before they are sent out to the world from other sources. I 

 believe a great many more papers would be sent to us if it were assured 

 that they would get immediate publication. 



Leaving the imperfect review of the past we come face to face with 

 the present, and of course the prospect of providing for the future. 

 And first we will note, with thanks to the same indefatigable worker, 

 the successful completion of her efforts in the renewal of, and adding 

 to the subscriptions for the Curator's salary, thus securing, as you will 

 see by the report, that necessary expense for the next five years. In 

 the absence of a permanent fund it is a grand thing lo be able to say 

 that so much is provided for. 



We are all aware that nothing has been done for some time in out- 

 door excursions, exploring mounds or adding any new discoveries to 

 the museum. Alas ! The old field marshals are either gone or laying 

 up in ordinary, and we are sadly in need of new recruits in this 

 field of interesting labor, and it is hoped that a revival may take place 

 in this direction. In the exceedingly interesting lectures of the Uni- 

 versity Extension Course on Geology, Prof. Calvin mentioned the rich 

 region, geologically considered, lying in the vicinity of Montpelier, 

 down the river some twenty miles, and intimated that an excursion to 

 that locality would take place some time in the spring, and that he 

 would accompany the party and describe, in situ, the strata that he had 

 exhibited on the black-board. Would it not be well for us to be 

 represented in that excursion and report to the Academy whatever of 

 interest may be pointed out by the professor? It may be well to state 

 here that the /Academy is pleased to extend the use of its library room 

 to the Quiz classes of the University Course with such books from the 

 museum as they may need, to carry on their work. You will see that 

 the Curator reports additions in almost every department of natural 

 history, and work done in his own special line. In conclusion permit 

 me to suggest that, as you are aware, the great Columbian World's 

 Fair is to be held in Chicago next year, and also that a new book by 

 the editor of the American Antiquarian entitled " The Mound Build- 

 ers, Their Works and Relics," is to be published in the spring, which 

 will contain a description of the Davenport relics. Now, as we have 

 the honor of holding in our possession by the right of discovery, a 

 unique relic of prehistoric art, as well as a survival of prehistoric civil- 

 ization, the genuineness of which has been proven by honest and un- 

 impeachable witnesses, I think it would be advisable if possible to send 

 our tablets and some other mound builder's relics, such as the elephant 

 pipe, copper axes, etc., as part of the Iowa or Davenport exhibit, so 



