120 davexport academy of natural sciences. 



April 14th, 1877. — Biological Section. 

 J. D, Putnam in the chair. 

 Nine members present. 

 Mr. J. D. Putnam presented the following 



REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR : 



Ladies and Gentlemen : 



It is now a little more than a year since ten members of the Academy 

 met together " to form a working section of those membei's specially 

 interested in Botany and Zoology, for the purpose of listening to and 

 discussing the reports of observations and collections in these depart- 

 ments made by the members.'" Since that time there have been eight 

 meetings of the Section, besides one '• Field meeting," an average of about 

 eight members being present on each occasion. Other meetings and ex- 

 cursions were planned, but failed on account of the weather, or because 

 of other engagements by the members. 



The active work of the Section has fallen upon a very few, and although 

 but comparatively little was accomplished in adding to our knowledge of 

 the Biological features around us, we have gained some experience, and 

 will, no doubt, be better prepared for the great work before us. With 

 the exception of the flowering plants, the shell-hearing mollusca, and a 

 few of the orders of insects, we know almost absolutely nothing regard- 

 ing the Botany and Zoology of the neighborhood in which we live, and 

 even in these branches our knowledge is exceedingly crude and imper- 

 fect. Our first and principal object should be to learn all we can of the 

 living things in our own vicinity, and in this way we will not only come 

 to a better knowledge of our own resources, but we may be able now and 

 then to add something to the entire stock of knowledge already possessed 

 by the scientific world. To do this it is necessary to make close observa- 

 tions of the animals and plants which we meet in our rambles, and to 

 carefully record them as nearly at the time as possible. Much valuable 

 information that is now of use to but a single individual, might prove of 

 vast importance to many others if it were put on record in proper form. 

 Biology is essentially a science based on observation or experiment, which 

 is obsen^ation under artificial arrangements. As we cannot always bear 

 In mind names for so great a multitude of objects, or we may not know the 

 proper terms in which to describe our observations intelligibly to others, 

 it will often be found necessary to collect the specimens so that we can 

 at our leisure study out their characteristics and compare them with 

 others. 



The careful collection of specimens, taken in connection with their 

 observations and study, before and after, is of the greatest importance 

 in aiding us in the study of the physical chai'acteristics of any region, 

 but their greatest value lies in the fact that they are veritable proofs of 

 the correctness of our observations. 



