(52 A NOTICE OF THE 



devoted exclusively to science would find too few patrons ^ to 

 defray the expense of printing, and for this reason it was antici- 

 pated by some that the entire cost of publication would fall upon 

 the treasury of the Academy, which had been empty for a con- 

 siderable time. But Mr. Maclure zealously urged the advantages 

 which would inure to the Institution from a publication designed 

 to make known to the world the labors and discoveries in natural 

 science by members of the Academy. He himself was so confi- 

 dent of the success of the measure, that he inspired hope in those 

 who regarded the undertaking despondingly or in coldness. The 

 first number of a journal was laid before a meeting of the 

 Society on the 20th of May, 1817. It contains a description of 

 six new species of Firola (with a plate), by 0. A. Lesueur ; an 

 account of the Rocky Mountain sheep (Ovis montana)* by George 

 Ord ; and a " Description of seven species of American Fresh 

 Water and Land Shells, not noticed in the systems. By Thomas 

 Say." 



The first committee of publication consisted of Messrs. Ma- 

 clure, T. Say, G. Ord, R. Haines, T. Nuttall, J. Dulles, Dr. 

 Cooper, and Dr. R. M. Patterson. 



The "Introduction" presented with this first number of the 

 Journal, exhibits the spirit which laid the foundation of the Insti- 

 tution, a spirit which has predominated in all its efforts from the 

 beginning, and it will continue to prevail, if past conduct be re- 

 garded as a guarantee in any degree of future action. I invite 

 attention to this Introduction, because it applies at the present 

 time, although nearly thirty-five years have elapsed since it was 

 printed. 



" The members of the Academy of Natural Sciences, of Phila- 

 delphia, desirous of acquiring knowledge themselves, and ex- 

 tending it among their fellow-citizens, have for some years been 

 accustomed to meet at leisure hours, for the purpose of commu- 

 nicating to each other such facts and observations as are calcu- 

 lated to promote the views of the Society. By degrees, a collec- 

 tion of subjects in natural history was made, and has increased, 



* Richardson, in his " Fauna-Boriali Americana" (London, 1829) de- 

 scribed the same animal under the name of Gapra Americana. A fine male 

 specimen of the rare quadruped, the Bighorn of Lewis and Clarke (his 

 tnontana, Desmarest, has been recently presented to the Academy by the 

 Smithsonian Institute, through Professor Baird 



