The West American Scientist, 



Vol. XII. No. 8. 



January, igoz. 



Whole No. log. 



Established 1884. 



THE WEST AMERICAN SCIENTIST. 



Published monthly. 



Price 10c a copy; $1 a year; $10 for life. 



Charles Russell Orcutt, Editor, 



Number 365 Twenty-first Street, 



San Diego. California, U. S. A. 



SAN DIEGO SOCIETY OF 

 NATURAL HISTORY. 



On the first day of October, A. D. 

 1874, Dr. George W. Barnes. Charles 

 Coleman, Jr., (principal of the public 

 school), J. B. Wells (local observer of 

 the U. S. Signal Service), Charles J. 

 Fox, L. L. Roberts, W. F. Allen. O. N. 

 Sanford, L. E. Wilson, George W. Mars- 

 ton. E. W. Hendrick and Daniel Cleve- 

 land, met at Mr. Cleveland's office in 

 this city and effected the preliminary 

 organization of the San Diego Society 

 of Natural History. Of these eleven 

 persons, the first four have died, the 

 next four have removed from this coun- 

 ty, while the last three of them still 

 reside here. Articles of incorporation 

 were filed October 14, 1874. On the 2d of 

 November, 1874, the permanent organiz- 

 ation was effected by the election of the 

 following officers: President, Dr. 

 Gorge W. Barnes; vice-president, Dan- 

 iel Cleveland: secretary, E. W. Hen- 

 drick, and treasurer, O. N. Sanford. Dr. 

 Barnes held the office of president until 

 his resignation was presented, because 

 of failing health, about one year before 

 his death, in February, 1890. He was 

 succeeded by Daniel Cleveland, who 

 has been president ever since, with the 

 exception of the years 1892-3, when the 

 Rev. B. F. McDaniel, now of Newton, 

 Mass., was the incumbent. 



The object of the society, as declared 



in its constitution, is "the study of na- 

 ture, the acquirement and diffusion of 

 scientific knowledge, and the collection 

 and preservation of materials pertain- 

 ing thereto." 



To this purpose the society has ever 

 remained true, during the twenty-seven 

 years of its existence, and it is be- 

 lieved that this association is the first 

 scientific society organized in this state 

 south of San Francisco. During its 

 first year, meetings were held weekly, 

 and were always well attended. There- 

 after, the meetings, held once a month, 

 were interesting and successful. About 

 1889, however, interest In the sciety 

 seemed to abate somewhat, and for 

 some years meetings were not ivgularly 

 held. It is hoped that the time has now 

 come when the regular meetings and 

 work of the society can be successfully 

 resumed. 



In this brief article upon the society 

 only a small portion of its work, and a 

 few items of special interest connected 

 with it, can be mentioned. At one of 

 the first regular meetings of the society 

 — Nov. 9, 1874 — contributions of scieuv 

 tific material — biological and literary— 

 began to flow in, and have confined, 

 until the society has now amassed a 

 considerable museum and library. Un- 

 fortunately, as the society possesses no 

 building of its own, this material is 

 packed away where it is not accessible. 

 As early as July, 1875, the society, at 

 the request of Gen. Myer, Chief Signal 

 OfTic«r, U. S. A., appointed a local me- 

 teorological committee to co-operate 

 with him. Later in the year, this com. 

 mittee, aided by an appropriation of 

 $100, granted by the county board of 

 supervisors, established at different 



