PSY Ce. 
CAMBRIDGE, MASS., FEB. 1882. 
Communications, exchanges and editors’ copies 
should be addressed to EDITORS OF PsyCHE, Cam- 
bridge, Mass. Communications for publication in 
PsycHeE must be properly authenticated, and no anony- 
mous articles will be published. 
Editors and contributors are only responsible for 
the statements made tn thety own communications. 
Works on subjects not related to entomology will not 
be reviewed in PSYCHE. 
For rates of subscription and of advertising, see 
advertising columns. 
JOSEPH DUNCAN PUTNAM. 
Born 18 Oct. 1855, in Jacksonville, Illinois. 
Died 10 Dec. 1881, in Davenport, Iowa. 
Mr. Putnam became well known, during 
the few years of his life, for the extent and 
thoroughness of his work. In his early life 
he was brought in contact with persons of 
scientific tastes, whom he accompanied in 
many of their rambles and travels. As hap- 
pens with many other rising naturalists, his 
ardor manifested itself at first in making 
collections in many directions, gradually 
becoming concentrated, until it culminated 
in the choice of entomology as a special 
study. He was the eldest child, and was 
educated at home till he attained the age of 
ten years; he then attended the public 
schools of Davenport until seventeen. He 
was one of the earliest members of the Da- 
venport academy of natural sciences, which 
was founded when he was but twelve years 
old. Perhaps to no other single mind did 
the academy become so much indebted as to 
him. He labored indefatigably for it, losing 
sight of his own interests in his zeal. He 
was elected recording secretary, 28 April 
1871, before he had reached the age of 16, 
PSYCHE: 
and retained this office until January 1875, 
when ill-health forced him to resign. He 
became a member of the publishing com- 
mittee in November 1875, and chairman of 
the same in January 1877. Meanwhile, in 
the spring of 1876, he began the publication 
of the proceedings of the academy, which 
he carried into their third volume before his 
death. In November 1876 he was elected 
corresponding secretary, and during the fol- 
lowing years conducted a regular correspon- 
dence with nearly five hundred scientific 
societies of different countries, acquiring for 
this purpose some acquaintance with several 
foreign languages. At the time of his death 
he had been for nearly a year the president 
of the academy, continuing to act as corres- 
ponding secretary in the absence of that 
officer, and attending, at the same time, to 
the professional duties, in connection with 
his father’s business as a lawyer, by which 
he earned a livelihood. For the better per- 
formance of his duties as author, editor and 
publisher, he made himself proficient in the 
arts of printing, wood-engraving, and etching 
on copper. During the last two years he 
devoted his spare time to a study of the 
galeodidae, and, during a visit to the east, in 
1880, made full abstracts of over 185 writings, 
leaving but five works on the subject, of 
which he knew, of which neither an edition 
nor translation was seen. The bibliography 
will be published, as he intended, in PsycHE. 
From the age of 18 until the time of his 
death at 26, he struggled against the inroads 
of consumption of the lungs, with a deter- 
mination and courage which could not fail 
to inspire admiration. I first met him, some 
years ago, upon one of his visits to scientific 
institutions in Massachusetts, when he could 
not walk more than one or two blocks in the 
city without resting to recover his nearly ex- 
hausted breath. After his death, his left lung 
was found to be completely solidified. 
He was a careful and accurate original ob- 
server, and, it is needless to say, in view of 
the work he accomplished, a diligent one. 
He was exceedingly modest, and never spoke 
in praise of himself or his work. SB: P. MM. 
