108 DAVENPORT ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 



time of what we afterwards learned, that it was necessarily totally out 

 of the question in any case, being simply impossible to take one during 

 the short time— sixty-three seconds of totality. 



The meetings were held quite regularly at the Library room for three 

 years, wnth an average attendance of about 8 members, and usually con- 

 siderable interest was manifested, though sometimes the meetings were 

 rather thin. For example— on June 2, 1869, only Mr. Jas. Thompson and 

 myself w^ere present, but the business had to be done or lie over one month, 

 with poor prospect of a larger meeting next time, as it was difficult to 

 secure a good attendance during the heated term. The constitution pre- 

 scribed no quoi-um for the transaction of business, and we thought it best 

 to proceed and dispose of it at once. Small as was this meeting in num- 

 bers, yet estimating it by results, it was the greatest meeting the Acad- 

 emy ever held. The original minutes read as follows : 



Regular Meeting. 

 Very few members present. Mr. Thompson was called lo the chair. Min- 

 utes of last meeting; read and adopted. Mr. Thompson reported donation of 

 some glacier-scratched boulders by Mr. Fejervary. The proposition to amend 

 the by-laws by substituting the last Friday for the first Wednesday of each 

 month for the date ot monthly meeting, was then taken up and unanimously 

 adopted. Miss Dr. Irish having withdrawn her name on account of leaving 

 the city, the other names proposed for membershi]), viz : Mrs. Charles E. 

 Putnam, Mr. J. D. Putnam, and Mr. Henry Tourtillotte were then balloted 

 for and unanimously elected. Academy adjourned to Friday evening, 25th 

 inst. W. H. Pratt, Secretary. 



Here the Secretary was obliged to " cast the vote of the meeting," as 

 nobody else was there to vote. We little realized then what we had 

 done. We " builded better than we knew." The time for meetings then 

 fixed has never since been changed. Mr. Tourtillotte died a year or two 

 after, but the other two members then elected are still with us, and were 

 it not so the Academy would not now be what it is. Mrs. Putnam was 

 the first lady elected to regular membership. Mrs. M. A. Sanders was 

 the first lady elected as honorary member, January 4, 1868— afterward 

 transferred with the rest to the list of corresponding members upon a 

 change of the constitution, and since become an active regular member. 

 Mr. John Hume was the first regular member elected, January 4, 1868. 



In the fall of 1872, some changes in the arrangements of the Library 

 and their time of meetings rendered it inconvenient for us to hold our 

 meetings there, and by the kindness of Messrs. Putnam & Rogers, their 

 commodious law office was our place of meeting from Nov. 29th, 1872, 

 until the next May. On May 80, 1873, the regular meeting was held 

 in Dr. Hazen's office. On July 15, 1873, the Academy rented a small 

 room in the rear of Mr. Eads' new office, second story, south side of 

 Third street, next door east of the Bank on the south-east corner of 

 Brady and Third, which we occupied until April 1, 1874, at $6 per month. 

 This was the first rent paid by the Academy. The room not being ready 

 for occupancy, our regular meeting, July 25, was held in Mr. Eads' 

 office, front room of same place. Referring again to my diary, I find, 

 Monday, August 4 : " Moved the specimens out of Mr. Eads' office into 



