332 OHIO STATE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 
history of the state. Information upon the plants and animals 
existing in the state is so evidently desirable that the arguments 
for it seem hardly necessary. It may be briefly mentioned, how- 
ever, that aside from the scientific questions as to distribution, 
abundance, increase, decrease, and extinction of species in the state 
all of which should be investigated before further changes occur, 
there is a great need of investigation in connection with various 
interests. They would form a sound foundation for the more 
exact teaching of science in our schools, a branch which is becoming 
more and more of fundamental importance in education. They 
have a very direct and important bearing upon the public health. 
Their service to the medical profession, represented by the Board 
of Health would no doubt be fully appreciated. The aquatic 
resources of the state, especially the fisheries interests, dependent 
upon the aquatic life of various forms would be enormously helped 
by an exhaustive study of the aquatic life of the different. rivers 
and lakes. 
While the Academy can through its individual members con- 
tribute considerably to the desired end, in such investigation the 
progress must of necessity be slow and there would seem to be 
every reason why investigations in this line as in Geology and 
Archeology should be directly supported by assistance from the 
state. Natural History Surveys are in progress in a number of 
different states and their results have proved of the utmost import- 
ance both as aids in education and as a foundation for economic 
applications. If the suggestion meets your approval it would seem 
to me well worth while to appoint a committee to take this matter 
into consideration and to suggest legislation to provide for such a 
survey. 
Another item which has occurred to me at different times is 
the representation of different branches of science in the Academy. 
The work during recent years has been very largely in the line of 
Geology and Natural History, a fact which is very easily accounted 
for on the basis of the local interest in these subjects, but it seems 
to me very desirable that the Academy have a strong representation 
in other branches as well and there are, I feel certain, many ques- 
tions which lie in other fields of science which might be studied 
with advantage in connection with this organization. The chem- 
ical problems connected with our water supply, coals, soils, ete., 
have certainly local interest and reports upon such problems would 
be particularly welcome in our meetings. The only suggestion 
in this connection I would offer now w ould be that our members 
as individuals exert their influence with their associates and friends 
in other branches of science, urge them to take part in our proceed- 
ings and in any way possible encourage their affilation with our 
Society. The valuable work done by the Cincinnati Society of 
Natural History is a good illustration of the usefulness of local 
