18 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIESCES [Proc. 4th Sef. 



pages of the manuscript, were consumed. The remainder of 

 the manuscript was in the Academy building on Market street 

 and was fortunately saved and removed to a place of safety. 

 With this partial manuscript and the proofs already in hand, 

 the complete history was restored. The beginning of the re- 

 construction of the Academy, immediately following the fire, 

 made it apparent that the closing period of the epoch was not 

 at the semi-centennial year of 1903, but more appropriately 

 rather the year 1906. The author, therefore, brought it down to 

 the end of 1906. Since that time it has not been possible to print 

 the history, and it is now awaiting a time when the money 

 shall be available for its publication. The manuscript con- 

 tains 374 pages. Much of it is in Mr. Hittell's best style. 

 His unusual skill in assembling and digesting details, his 

 laborious patience in studying the original sources, his experi- 

 ence as a historian on a larger scale, gave him especial quali- 

 fications for the task. Some of the records of the Academy 

 were destroyed in the great fire; others were to be found in 

 different documents and written books; here all are combined 

 in a fascinating story accurately and methodically set forth. 

 Here \\\\\ be found the amazingly romantic tale of James 

 Lick's wonderful benefactions. Because of Mr. Hittell's per- 

 sonal acquaintance with the men who made the Academy's 

 history, he could write with authority. No one else can, or ever 

 will, tell the story so w^ell and so reliably. The Academy, as 

 a historic institution, deserves that such an authentic record 

 should be published ; and it is to be hoped that the near future 

 will bring out this history in printed form. 



In his miscellaneous reading, ]\'Ir. Hittell became interested 

 in Hawaii, and it was not long before his indefatigable pen 

 began a History of the Hawaiian Islands. He had never been 

 in those enchanted isles, and at his age he shrank from un- 

 dertaking an ocean voyage. But he collected practically all 

 the literature extant upon the subject, and, beginning in about 

 1905, he labored upon this work for seven years. The result 

 is embodied in 1563 pages of closely w-ritten manuscript, with 

 a Table of Contents of 172 pages. The work has not been 

 published. It is the most comprehensive history of these 

 islands which has vet been written. 



