434 Historical Sketch of Miimesota Academy of Science 



Circumstances," by Geo. B. Wright; "On the Detection and Ex- 

 termination of Several Very Troublesome Insects Among Fruit Trees 

 and Shrubery," by R. J. Mendenhall, Dr. Johnson read a paper giv- 

 ing an account of what was found in the Palmer Lake mounds, Gen- 

 eral Rosser described the phenomena of falling fish in Kentucky on 

 March 8, 187G, Geo. W. Tinsley read a valuable paper on "The birth 

 and Growth of Planets,'' Dr. Johnson "gave an interesting and de- 

 tailed account of how he killed numerous plants with chloroform, 

 which was new to him; but nevertheless convinced him that plants 

 will be killed, as well as animals, from an over dose," and Professor 

 Winchell read a paper as "Notes on the Paleontology of the Tren- 

 ton Limestone in Minnesota." 



These winter months of 1876 make an epoch in the Academy's 

 history through the three public lectures on "Astronomy" by Rich- 

 ard A. Procter, which besides their value as a means of scientific 

 culture netted the Academy treasury $356.60. 



Though the scientific activity for 1877 waned somewhat, the fol- 

 lowing records of papers read show a good vitality: "The Muskrat 

 as the Founder of the Baconian Philosophy," by Geo. B. Wright; 

 "On the Purity of the Water of the Mississippi River," by Dr. John- 

 son; "On the Tube Artesian Wells of Minneapolis," written by C. E. 

 Whelpley, and read by Dr. Elliot; "Report of the Analysis of Some 

 Ashes Taken from a Furnace where Bran was used for Fuel," by 

 Prof. S. F. Peckham; "The History of Milling," by Geo. H. Chris- 

 tian; verbal report of his investigations in Ichthyology by W. L. 

 Tiffany; a description of the effects of the storm of the previous 

 Friday night in Richfield township by Mr. John Roberts; remarks 

 on the geology of Hennepin county by Prof. Winchell, and "an elab- 

 orate account of the ancient as well as modern trilobite by Mr. 

 Tiffany. 



The records of the two following year (1878 and 1879) show, 

 amid the presentation of many specimens for the museum and ex- 

 changes for the library, the following scientific activity: — two sup- 

 plementary reports by Dr. A. E. Johnson on the '"Fungi of the 

 State,' of which he had collected 229 species new to our state and 

 22 new to science (both reports and catalogs being printed in the 

 Bulletin for 1877-9); "An Assay of the Effects of Fungous Growths 

 upon Vegetable and Animal Life," by Dr. Johnson; a paper on "In- 

 fusoria," by Dr. A. W. Abbo'tt; a discussion on the recent explosion 

 of the Washburn A mill, by R. J. Baldwin, A. C. Rand and W. L. 

 Tiffany; "An Essay on the Black Bass," by W. L. Tiffany; "Pro- 

 gress in the Study of the Mounds of the State," by Nathan Butler; 

 a paper on "Drilling Wells for Water Purposes," by C. E. Whelpley; 

 a paper on "Ornithological Notes," by Thomas S. Roberts, Robert 

 S. Williams and Clarence L. Herrick, and read by Mr. Tiffany; a 

 paper on "Entomology," by R. J. Mendenhall, and one on "Thfe Yeast 

 Plant," by Dr. A. W. Abbott (both these papers appear only in ab- 

 stract in the bulletin because all the manuscript and printed pages 

 of the 1878 bulletin were destroyed in the Brackett Block fire); a 

 lecture on "Ethnology," by Hon. C. S. Bryant of St. Paul; a lecture 

 on the Mineralogy and General Geographical Features of the Lake 

 Superior District," by Prof, S. F. Peckham; a lecture on "The Eagle 



