WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 45 



So the three of us "put our heads together/' and after a labor of a 

 day and part of the night, there was brought forth the draft of the 

 report, which took the form of a Declaration of views and recom- 

 mendations by the Conference. 



The next day the full Committee adopted the report, and directed 

 the Chairman to report the same to the Conference as a Declaration 

 on Conservation embodying and formulating general conclusions on 

 that great subject. 



This was accordingly done, and after the reading of the Declara- 

 tion before the Conference, and debate had thereon, the report of 

 the Committee was unanimously adopted amid great applause. 



Doctor McGee's services in preparing the Declaration were simply 

 invaluable. The part he performed in this work greatly elicited my 

 admiration, and my association in it with him and with Gifford Pin- 

 chot led to ties of close friendship, and is to me one of the most 

 pleasant episodes and reminiscences of my life. 



Referring to the Declaration on Conservation, I heard President 

 Roosevelt declare, in an address before a distinguished gathering in 

 Washington, where he and President-elect Taft were the speakers, 

 that it was so important a work, an instrument of such transcendent 

 importance, that it ought to be framed and hung in every school- 

 house in the land. 



Doctor McGee was a rare character on the good and useful side of 

 life. With all his great capabilities, the distinguishing trait of his 

 character was his modesty in never claiming credit for himself, no 

 matter how much he had contributed of origination, ability, resource- 

 fulness, and industry to any work of broad scope and far-reaching 

 effect. 



His was a gentle, kindly, lovable disposition. I greatly deplore 

 his death. 



From J. Stanley Brown, of New York City: 



It was my good fortune to have known Doctor McGee from almost 

 the day of his arrival in Washington to take service in the United 

 States Geological Survey. Then and there sprang up a warm 

 friendship which continued uninterruptedly to the day of his untimely 



