Historical Sketch of Minnesota Academy of Science 433 



centrally located about Center block, but they were mostly on the 

 third floor and rents were too high to be easily met by the Acad- 

 emy. The room formerly occupied by the Y. M. C. A., No. 214 Nic- 

 ollet avenue (over the Post Office) can be obtained for $120 a year. 

 It is of fair size and well lighted; will accommodate the wants of 

 the Academy for a fev;^ years very well." Colonel Clough offered to 

 solicit money to finish up the museum cases for which Mr. Tinsley 

 offered the hinges; all of which was done. Thus the meeting of 

 November, 1875, was held in the new rooms. 



The museum had begun with gifts of specimens at its organiza- 

 tion from Drs. Johnson and Elliot, followed soon by gifts or ex- 

 changes from similar societies; so that the curator. Dr. Simpson, 

 in his first report after one year's existence wrote: "Since the 

 Academy took possession of its present rooms, cases have been con- 

 structed for the accommodation of our geological and mineralogical 

 specimens, copied from similar cases in the museum of the Univer- 

 sity of Michigan, which are sufficient, not only for our present collec- 

 tion, but for all that we may reasonably expect to accumulate for 

 some time to come. Ten cases of a different character, with glass 

 covers, intended for the exhibiton of specimens of a more delicate 

 nature, such as insects and shells, have also been procured and 

 partly utilized." The collection then comprised several thousand 

 secimens illustrative of the geology and paleontology of Minnesota, 

 350 specimens of minerals, a few zoology specimens, about 100 speci- 

 mens of bones or implements in the archaeology of the state, some 

 300 native Lepidoptera, a few native birds and several hundred land 

 and fresh-water shells. What a stimulating evidence this collection 

 is of the scientific spirit and enthusiasm of the genuine nature- 

 loving founders of the Academy! 



The library, with its present 12,000 numbers, began similarly 

 from gifts and exchanges. The corresponding secretary, Dr. Ames, 

 reported at the first May meeting "that he had entered into com- 

 munication with most of the learned societies of the country;" 

 while the first year's contributions to the library came not only from 

 164 similar academies of science in California, St. Louis, New York, 

 Buffalo and Philadelphia, but even France, Spain and Scandinavia. 

 The exchanges from our own bulletins now come from every con- 

 tinent of the world. 



The fourth year of the Academy's life (1876) was memorable 

 for the publication in that year's bulletin of Dr. A. E. Johnson's 

 monumental paper on "The Mycological Flora of Minnesota," filling 

 a hundred pages. In his genuine naturalist's devotion to this speci- 

 alty Dr. Johnson had gathered and examined over 10,000 specimens 

 in Hennepin, Ramsey, Wright and Anoka counties, resulting in 559 

 specimens new to the state, two of which were new to science. Be- 

 sides this splendid product of the Academy's zeal this bulletin con- 

 tained Mr. R. J. Baldwin's fine presidential address on "Light," Dr. 

 Leonard's report on "Ferns," Dr. Hatch's supplemental report on 

 "Ornithology," a paper on "Tornadoes and Cyclones" by Gen. T. L. 

 Rosser, "Notes on a Hail Storm Occurring August 18, 1858," by Na- 

 than Butler, and Dr. A. F. Elliot's curator report. Other papers read 

 during the year were "A Case of Plants Adapting their Habits to 



