HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE 



ical Director in the army of General Shields, in the Shenandoah Valley. While engaged 

 in this service he was severely hurt by his horse falling upon him, and confined to his bed 

 for a portion of the many months during which he suffered from his injuries. Yet, 

 although it was even thought for a while that he might have to undergo amputation of his 

 foot, he continued on duty all the time, and in the midst of his sufferings organized the 

 military hospitals at Winchester. In August, 1862, he took charge of the Cliffburn hos- 

 pital near Washington, and in December, 1862, was ordered to assume the care and oper- 

 ation of the Lincoln hospital, in Washington, which under his thorough and most excellent 

 administration, was regarded as a model hospital. But close confinement and excessive 

 mental labor broke down his health and strength, and he was eventually compelled in 

 May, 1863, to resign his commission. His faithful service in his country's cause very 

 nearly cost him his life, so utterly exhausted had he become by unremitting work. 



After the close of the war he went to Europe twice, and in December, 1866, visited 

 Porto Rico. For some weeks he travelled about the island, suffering extremely from ill 

 health all the time, but working at his favorite pursuits unintermittingly, until the 1st of 

 February, when he was taken with what proved to be his last violent attack of illness, 

 while on an expedition in the country, and died the next day. 



Dr. Bryant was no common man. He was peculiar in certain ways, but much of this 

 peculiarity arose undoubtedly from his ill health and bodily suffering. His thorough- 

 ness, intellectual honesty, and faithfulness to duty were marked characteristics through 

 his whole career. He was as true as steel, through and through genuine, and with far 

 more kindliness and wider sympathy than he ever liked to show. Dr. Bryant was elected 

 a member of this Society in November, 1841. He served as Cabinet-keeper for a part of 

 1843, and took charge in 1855 of the Entomological collection for a time. From 1854 to 

 the time of his death, he was Curator of Ornithology. 



He was a most munificent friend to the Museum of the Society, his donations embracing 

 reptiles, fishes, crustaceous insects, minerals and birds. His most valuable gift was the 

 magnificent Lafresnaye collection of birds, which amounted to nearly nine thousand fine 

 specimens. Extensive pecuniary aid was also received from him whenever the purchase 

 of collections was desirable for the museum. 



Dr. Bryant married in 1848, Miss Elizabeth B. Sohier, daughter of W. D. Sohier, Esq., 

 of Boston. 



In March of this year Professor Baird, of the Smithsonian Institution, expressed a strong 

 desire that the Society should cooperate with that institution in extending the system of 

 explorations undertaken by it, in return for which the Society should receive the first 

 choice among the duplicates of objects of natural history. He desired a yearly appropria- 

 tion of $500. 



There was a unanimous wish on the part of the Council to act favorably upon the propo- 

 sition which resulted in a vote : "That the sum of $500 be placed at the disposal of the 

 Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution for the purpose mentioned, and that the 

 Secretary intimate the desire of the Council to assist further at a future time." 



April. The necessity of refraining from any account of the scientific papers brought 

 before the Society or of the discussions that took pla^e at the meetings, in order to con- 

 fine this sketch within reasonable limits, has often prevented even a reference to much of 



