BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF JOSEPH DUNCAJST PUTNAM. 235 



Francisco other serious symptoms were developed, and by the advice 

 of physicians he returned home to Davenport to receive the com- 

 forts his case seemed to require, and which could not as well be 

 secured in a frontier countiy. While in San Francisco he formed 

 several pleasant scientific acquaintances with such disting-uished 

 entomologists as Mr. H. Edwards, Dr. H. Behr, and R. H. Stretch, 

 with whom he afterwai'ds maintained a mutually profitable corres- 

 pondence. 



On reaching home, then in his twenty-first year, he at once threw 

 himself earnestly into the work to Avhich his future energies were 

 to be largely directed, viz: to the upbuilding of the Academy of 

 Sciences. Henceforth the personal history of our subject is insepa- 

 rably blended with the institution of which he was at once the sup- 

 port and ornament; not a waking hour in which its interests did not 

 enter into his generous plans and far-reaching thoughts — not how- 

 ever, in any spirit f)f self-glorification which neither accorded with 

 his natural disposition, or his acquired tastes — he assumed and car- 

 ried on its most onerous and responsible duties, thus undertaking- 

 exhaustive work that he would gladly have transferred to broader 

 shoulders. His true spirit is evidenced in a remark once made to 

 the writer, "If others are unwilling to do what ought to be done, T 



So as his strength allowed, and often, it is to be feared, beyond 

 his physical ability, he resolutely took up the work that lay before 

 him, inspiring others by his examjjle, and finding his chief happi- 

 ness in seeing desired results, by whatever means effected, in pro- 

 cess of successful accomplishment. It was in this spirit, on his 

 return from the west in November 1875, he introduced at the first 

 regular meeting of the Academy he attended, a series of resolutions 

 as follows: 



Whereas, The objects of the Academy are the increase and diffusion 

 of a knowledge of the Natural Sciences by the establisliment of a Museum, 

 the reading and publication of original papers, and all otlier siiital)le means ; 

 and. 



Whereas, Many original investigations liave already been made by our 

 members, some of tiiem being of general as well as scientific interest ; and. 



Whereas, The publication of our Proceedings would he advantageous 

 to the Academy, in many particulars, e. g. : 1st. It will preserve much ma- 

 terial that might otherwise be lost. 3d. It will furnish a greater incentive 

 to our members to make original investigations. ;3d. It will increase the 

 Library by means of exchange with other societies and i)ublisliers ; and, 4th. 



