56 DAVENPORT ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 



RECORDING SECRETARY'S REPORT. 



During the past yeai- there have been held fifteen business meetings of 

 the Trustees, and thirteen regular meetings of the Academy, including 

 the annual meeting in January.* The average attendance of members 

 at the regular meetings has been within a fraction of thirteen members. 

 Thirty-six regular and twenty-eight corresponding members have been 

 elected during the year. 



Three papers t have been presented for publication, viz: 1. A 

 Notice of the late Dr. I. A. Lapham, by Dr. C. C. Parry. 2. Modern 

 Manufacture of Pottery in America by Females, by Dr. Edward Palmer. 

 3. A paper on '' Shell Money," by Prof. TV. H. Pratt. 



Numerous and valuable donations have been reported each month. 



In January a Codification of the Constitution to agree with the articles 

 of Incorporation, was adopted. 



In February it was resolved to recommend the indefinite postponement 

 of the publication of the " Proceedings'- on account of the loss sustained 

 by fire on the night of the 22d and 23d, but thanks to the courage of the 

 ladies of the Centennial and Bric-a-Brac Societies, and to the generos- 

 ity of our citizens, the work went on, and has been brought to a satis- 

 factory completion. 



In March, insurance to the amount of $2,00f' was effected on the 

 Museum, Library and furniture of the Academy ; also the life member- 

 ship fee was reduced from §100 to SoO, 



In May the organization of Working Sections was authorized, and 

 since then the Biological, the Historical, and the Geological and Archaeo- 

 logical Sections have held frequent meetings. A By-Law regulating the 

 use of the Library was also adopted in May. 



A By-Law for the establishment of an Endowment Fund, was adopted 

 in June. 



In August the Academy authorized Dr. Farquharson to take mound 

 builders' relics from the Museum for exhibition at the International 

 Archaeological Convention, meeting at Philadelphia, Sept. 4th. 



In October the completed first volume of " Proceedings'' was grate- 

 fully accepted by the Academy from the hands of the Centennial Society. 



During the latter part of October and the early part of November a 

 course of six highly instmctive popular lectures was delivered before the 

 Academy by Prof. W. D. Gunning, of Boston. 



In December the Academy contributed a collection of relics, etc., for 

 exhibition at the Turners' Fair, held in this city. 



The above are the principal matters of record, aside from current busi- 

 ness, and some slight alterations of By-Laws, which appear as amended 

 in Vol. I. Respectfully submitted. 



Davenport, January 3d, 1877. Chas. H. Preston, Secretary. 



*In addition to the aljovc the Biological Section have held nine, the Historical Section five, 

 and the Geological and ArchoRological Section three meetings during the year. 



tThis does not include a number of papers presented during the early part of the year, and 

 included in the first volume of Proceedings. The preparation of that volume necessarily kept 

 the few active members of the Academy pretty busy for several months. 



