122 DAVENPOET ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 



ber the wants of science when on a hunt or fishing excursion, and report 

 to the Academy lists of the various animals they may meet, together 

 with notes of any peculiar habits that are observed. Even the most 

 trivial facts often prove of the greatest interest in solving the difficult 

 problems of nature. If some of our experienced sportsmen would fur- 

 nish us with an account of our game animals, their haunts and habits, 

 with a notice of the relative abundance in different years and at different 

 seasons, it would be a paper of great interest, not only to the naturalist, 

 but to the historian and the climatologist. Observations in regard to the 

 times of the migrations of our birds, and in regard to their food, might 

 prove of vast importance to our farmers and fruit growers. While a 

 complete collection of our birds and mammals is very desirable, it is not 

 necessary that every specimen should be stuffed and mounted in a life- 

 like attitude. That would require a skill in taxidermy which few of us 

 possess, ov are likely to acquire. A carefully preserved skin, together 

 with the skull, will be amply sufficient to identify the species, and while 

 it may not add so much to the beauty of our cabinets, it will be just as 

 useful, and much more easily procured and taken care of. 



Mr. Pratt has <ilready suggested, in his report as Curator, that special 

 attention be given this year to a collection of the Fishes and Reptiles 

 found so plentifully in our midst, and about which we know so little. 

 The smaller species, especially, should not be neglected, and with careful 

 management a small amount of alcohol may be made to do good service. 

 The season is already well advanced, and an effort should be made at 

 once to procure a supply of alcohol, and proper jars or other vessels in 

 which to preserve the specimens. Arrangements should be made with 

 the various fishermen to have them preserve for us any peculiar animals 

 which they may take, and our school children should be induced to bring 

 to the Academy any curious reptiles and insects, or other animals that 

 they may chance to meet. We would thus soon have a collection to be 

 proud of, and in which each collector might feel a personal interest. 



Our Mollusks have hitherto received more attention than any other 

 branch of the animal kingdom. The early efforts of Prof. Sheldon and 

 Mr. Pratt have left but little to be done in the way of collecting. In 1867 

 Mr. G. W. Tryon published in the American Journal of Conchology, 

 Vol. I, a list of the species collected by Prof. Sheldon, embracing 102 

 species. Mr. Pratt, in his list published last yeai", increased the number 

 of species to 117. During the past year some interesting observations 

 were made in regard to the local distribution and habits of several of the 

 species, and it is hoped that these may be continued during the present 

 season. Mr. Tiffany was so fortunate as to add three species to those 

 previously known to occur here in a living state. While collecting insects 

 in the Rocky Mountains some years ago, I made a small collection of the 

 Mollusks. These have been studied by Ernest Ingersol, of Jersey City, 

 and his report is nearly ready. Mr. Pratt has already paid some atten- 

 tion to the shell beds occurring along the river banks above high water. I 

 hope that these observations may be continued and that we may thus obtain 

 some knowledge of the changes that have occurred in our fauna during past 



