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The Chicago Academy of Sciences. 



In March of the year 1865 the Western Union 

 Telegraph Co. planned an expedition to survey along 

 the northwest coast of North America for the purpose 

 of establishing a route for a telegraph line intended to* 

 connect this continent with Asia by crossing the Behr- 

 ing Straits. The company very generously offered to 

 naturalists the opportunity to conduct scientific inves- 

 tigations in a country at that time scarcely known, and 



WILLIAM BROSS. 



nearly inaccessible. Mr. Kennicott, who had been 

 elected the curator of the Academy early in the pre- 

 vious year, with other young naturalists as his asso- 

 ciates, eagerly availed himself of the unusual facilities 

 thus granted. The outfit for scientific investigation 

 and collecting, costing about $1,000, was furnished by 

 the Academy. 



On March 21, 1865, Mr. Kennicott sailed from New 

 York on the steamer "Golden Rule," and made his first 



