46 PROCEEDINGS OF THE INDIANA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



not be difficult, and problems of local interest might be worked up, or those 

 in which the time required is beyond the reach of the professor himself. 



Third: Our legislature might be prevailed upon to have the work done 

 under a special grant by the legislatiu'e. The possibility of aid from this 

 source is verj^ remote. 



Fourth- The work to be done by some State department. Today Indiana 

 has a State department of Geology and Natural History. This department 

 has already published the greater part of the biological work done in Indiana. 

 We have a State department of Entomology. We have a State department 

 of Forestry; and a State department of Fish and Game. If j^ou will investi- 

 gate what other states are doing, you will find these same state dei)artments 

 doing the l)iological work. What are our state departments doing along the 

 line of biological survey? You know that in order to get the maximum 

 service from these offices, that they must be filled by scientific men. Scien- 

 tific men, too, can be obtained as cheaply as politicians. Not one of the 

 State Entomologists has been a member of the Ind. Acad. Sci. Only one of 

 the three State Foresters has been a memb(>r; and not a single one of tlie 

 Fish and Game wardens since Phillip Kirsch. who let it lie known, was a 

 scientific man. We do not contend that one could not be a worthy scientific 

 man and be the head of one of the state departments named and not be a 

 member of the ind. Acad. Sci. l)ut it surely wonld he extreinely poor liusiness 

 for siicli a lu'ad to stand aloof from the body of men in Indiana with whom lie 

 wonld and should co-operate. 



Mr. President: It is not neci'ssary to go into (iciaii. To lis it appears 

 clear 1 hat the most feasible plan for the greater works of t he biological survey 

 is to have the work done by our various slate (lei)artnients. To accom])lish 

 this it will be necessary for the members of the Academy to see to it that 

 the State departments referred to are filled with men of .scientific ability 

 ami with men who are willing to do something along this line. At present 

 these State departments do not hav(> the finaneiai means to do much, and 

 we must lend our aid in securing special appropriations for these dei)artments 

 to undertake special work. It should V)e borne in mind that our State Geolo- 

 gist at the last session of the legislature asked an additional appropriation to 

 extend his work and his request was denied. There should be concerted action 

 between the Academy and the State departments, and the several members 

 nuist accept it as a duty to exjjlain the situation to his representative and 

 senator. Our case is a most worthy one, and positive residts will follow active 

 endeav(jr. Our committee recommends that a resolution be i)as.sed at this 

 meeting, which will set forth the great need of further work on the biological 

 survey, ami show why it should be done by the State departments, and that 

 this resolution include the appointment of a committee which shall at an 

 appropriate time present the matter to the Governor elect. 



