244 DAVENPORT ACADEMY OF NATURAI, SCIENCES. 



he reached the sohition of some deep botanical problem, was in itself 

 a profound study, and will ever remain as a most cherished recollection. 

 Still, in the midst of all the wearisome pleasure and excitement of 

 travel, his thoughts often turned toward his quiet home, or, as he chose 

 to express it, he longed for solid ivork — to put the results of his obser- 

 'vations into systematic form, which could only be done in the retiracy 

 of the closet. So, leaving the Pacific coast, he returned to St. Louis 

 to work up his collections and field-notes — -not altogether satisfacto- 

 rily, however, for a severe winter aggravated a rheumatic affection, 

 which afterward developed symptoms of serious heart disease. Strug- 

 gling manfully in the midst of these infirmities, he still laid out large plans 

 for future work. Only last season he again visited, for the last time, 

 his native land, returning late in the season, considerably revived. 

 Spending his last winter quietly at home, he sits down to his accus- 

 tomed desk, on the 2d of February, his seventy-fifth birthday, pens 

 a characteristic letter to me, his old-time friend, signs and directs it, 

 goes up to his room, not to leave it till he takes his last unreturning 

 journey, February 4th, 1884. 



March 28^- 1884. — Regular Meeting. 



President Fulton in the chair; seven nieml)ers present. 



Mr. W. H. Pratt called attention to the injurious legislation now pend- 

 ing in Congress affecting the value of patents and the rights of invent- 

 ors, and suggested that the Academy adopt resolutions, to be commu- 

 nicated to our member of Congress, remonstrating against such legisla- 

 tion. On motion, Messrs. W. H. Pratt, C. K. Harrison, and James 

 Thompson were ai)pointed a committee to prepare and report thereon 

 at an adjourned meeting. 



Mr. F. B. Badt then delivered an address upon recent discoveries in 

 electricity, relating especially to the electric light and electric transmis- 

 sion of power. 



April 4, 1884. — Adjourned Meeting. 



President F"ulton in the chair; six members present. 



Mr. W. H. Pratt, chair<iian of the special committee to whom was 

 referred the matter of pending congressional legislation relating to pat- 

 ents and the rights of inventors, reported the following, which were 

 unanimously adopted: 



Wherkas, .\I1 experience has shown that one of the very important elements 

 in the progiess of a nation and the development of its resources is the wise and lib- 

 eral encouragement of mechanical invention and practical scientific discovery, pro- 

 moting improvement in manufacturing processes, in means of transportation with 

 greater public safety, and in the establishment of new and important industries; 

 and, 



