i'EBRUART 19j 1915] 



SCIENCE 



281 



the field of work had not been so carefully dif- 

 ferentiated as at present. In September, 

 1892, physiology and anatomy were dropped 

 from his title and he limited himself to the 

 field which he occupied with little change until 

 the end of his career. His title became pro- 

 fessor of zoology, taxidermist and curator of 

 mammals and birds. Francis H. Snow was 

 then chancellor of the university. 



It stood thus until 1899 when anatomy for 

 a year was again put in his charge and his 

 title of curator was that of curator of zoolog- 

 ical collections. In the very next year we 

 find anatomy cared for in a separate depart- 

 ment and Professor Dyche returning to his 

 work under the title of professor of systematic 

 zoology and taxidermist. In 1903 the title 

 of taxidermist was dropped as being unneces- 

 sary and Professor Dyche was given the title 

 which he retained until his death, namely, 

 that of professor of systematic zoology and 

 curator of mammals, birds and fishes. In 

 1901 the legislature of the state, largely 

 through the efforts of Professor Dyche, ap- 

 propriated $75,000 for the erection of a nat- 

 ural history museum for the housing of the 

 natural history collections. The building was 

 finished in 1902, a considerable part of it be- 

 ing given over to the extensive and important 

 collection of North American mammals and 

 birds. 



On December 1, 1909, Professor Dyche was 

 given partial leave of absence in order that 

 he might act as fish and game warden for the 

 state of Kansas. This action was taken by the 

 board of regents of the university at the re- 

 quest of the then governor, W. E. Stubbs. 

 This request was acceded to for the reason 

 that of all men in the state of Kansas Pro- 

 fessor Dyche was the most competent in every 

 way to carry on a large project of this char- 

 acter on a scientific basis. It was acceded to 

 also with the belief which has been fully sub- 

 stantiated that the fish hatchery under his 

 supervision could be put upon an economic 

 and scientific foundation. 



Since December, 1909, Professor Dyche has 

 given most of his time to the fish and game 

 wardenship although still connected with the 



university as professor of systematic zoology 

 and curator of mammals, birds and fishes. 

 For some years prior to 1909 Professor Dyche 

 had done little or no undergraduate class 

 work, confining himself to work as curator, 

 investigator and vrriter, and to such occa- 

 sional graduate work as was desired by stu- 

 dents expecting to enter the museum field. 



During his long career as a teacher, in con- 

 nection with other university men, he took 

 part in or conducted many scientific expedi- 

 tions, twenty-three in all it is said, for the 

 collection of museum material. These expe- 

 ditions covered practically all of North Amer- 

 ica. Some of the most important were to 

 Greenland and the Arctic regions. Of the 

 Peary expedition and the rest it is not for me 

 to speak. They were filled with strenuous en- 

 deavor and many thrilling experiences. In- 

 deed few men even of bygone border times 

 could equal his experiences in this respect. 

 He was a noted hunter and won his place as 

 an explorer, his talents as naturalist, woods- 

 man, hunter and explorer being of a high 

 order. The result of all of this was no 

 doubt to shorten his days but he helped 

 build up large scientific collections of great 

 value into which he had put his life and he 

 saw them become an integral part of the uni- 

 versity which he loved. He was one of the 

 charter members of the chapter of Sigma Xi 

 at the University of Kansas. He lectured 

 much and in this field was exceedingly graphic 

 and interesting. He wrote much, his last 

 writings being in the shape of bulletins in re- 

 gard to fish culture in the large. These bulle- 

 tins are much sought after and show the re- 

 sults of a life time of close observation and 

 study. As a taxidermist he had few equals, 

 his knowledge of the pose and habits of ani- 

 mals and the habitat in which they live being 

 unusually accurate. His fidelity to nature, 

 his great skill and his keen observation are 

 well attested by the brilliant display of North 

 American mammals which he was largely in- 

 strumental in preparing at the University of 



Professor Dyche had in larger degree than 

 most men the creative instinct, the instinct 



