18 The Academy of Natural Sciences 



Academy since Tryon's death in 1888, under the able editorship of 

 Dr. Henry A. Pilsbry, the value of whose conchological work has 

 received the most cordial recognition. Mr. Tryon's business train- 

 ing enabled him to actually secure a revenue from his two unpromis- 

 ing ventures, which, with much more, he bequeathed to his favorite 

 department. In quite a special sense, therefore, his work con- 

 tinues. 



Much the greater part of Cope's time was, at this period, 

 devoted to the study of herpetology, his work being done in a small 

 room in the northeast corner of the first gallery. Cope's contribu- 

 tions to science, his paleontological work especially, lent brilliancy 

 to the Proceedings and Journal and as time progressed entitled 

 him to be regarded as the greatest naturalist born on American soil. 

 In his relations to the administrative affairs of the Academy, he 

 was ever a storm center, absolutely a law unto himself, and so 

 divergent were his theories and methods from those entertained by 

 Dr. Leidy and his other associates, that for years before his death 

 in 1897, he had no official connection with the society, although his 

 interest in the meetings was maintained and the provisions of his 

 will give evidence that, through all the disagreements and in spite of 

 them, he retained confidence in its usefulness and was, perhaps, after 

 all not entirely opposed to its methods. He bequeathed to the 

 Academy about 8,000 valuable specimens of mammals, birds, reptiles 

 and fishes and the fund arising from the sale of his paleontological 

 collections after the payment of certain legacies. 



Dr. James Aitken Meigs had taken up the work of Samuel 

 George Morton and was giving all the time he could spare from a 

 rapidly growing practice to the study of ethnology, with the fine 

 results recorded in the Proceedings. 



John Hamilton Slack, a man of extraordinary versatility, in a 

 little room directly under Cope's, was studying the mammals and 

 laying ambitious plans for a monograph of the monkeys, which, it is 

 to be regretted, resulted in nothing more than a sixteen page con- 

 tribution to the Proceedings. He was a frequent visitor to the 

 library and by his accomplishments gave brightness and variety to 

 the dullest days. 



William M. Gabb, during his term as one of the Jessup Fund 

 students, had fitted himself for the work accomplished later in 

 connection with the Geological Survey of California and as Director 

 of the survey of San Domingo. 



