634 
by the presence of its then oldest living 
past president in the person of James 
Dwight Dana, who in 1854, presided over 
the meeting held in Washington. 
DANA. 
Dana was born in Utica, New York, in 
February, 1813, and as a boy showed a 
taste for natural science, making frequent 
excursions after minerals with his school 
companions. Attracted by the name of 
the elder Silliman, then at the height of his 
powers and reputation, he went to New 
Haven and entered Yale. As an under- 
graduate it is said that ‘he made much 
progress in science, especially in his favorite 
study of mineralogy.’ * 
The influence of the master was irre- 
sistible, and he decided to devote himself 
to science, and, as if to confirm his decision, 
an opportunity presented itself even before 
he had graduated, for in 1833 he accepted 
an appointment as instructor in mathe- 
matics in the United States Navy. For 
more than a year he cruised in European 
waters, chiefly on the Mediterranean, de- 
voting his leisure to studies of the interest- 
ing features of geology and natural history 
that presented themselves. 
He returned to New Haven in 1836, and 
became an assistant to Silliman. It was at 
this time, in May, 1837, that he published 
the first edition of his System of Miner- 
alogy. Scarcely had that work been given 
to the public than he received an invitation 
to become the mineralogist and geologist of 
the United States Exploring Expedition, 
about to visit the Southern and Pacific 
Oceans under Captain Charles Wilkes. In 
August, 1838, the expedition started from 
Norfolk, Virginia, and reached New York 
on its return in June, 1842. For thirteen 
years thereafter Dana devoted himself to 
*See James Dwight Dana, a biographical sketch, 
with a half-tone portrait, and bibliography, by E:S. 
Dana in the American Journal of Science, third series, 
Vol. XLIX., p, 329, May, 1895. 
SCIENCE. 
[N. S. Vou. X. No. 253. 
the study of the material that had been 
collected, and to the preparation of his re- 
ports, of which those on the Zoophytes, the 
geology of the Pacific, and on the Crustacea 
were published. 
Meanwhile he accepted the appointment 
to the Silliman chair of natural history and 
geology in Yale, but did not assume the 
active duties of the professorship until 1855. 
From this auspicious beginning his active 
connection with Yale continued until it was 
interrupted in 1890 by a serious illness, 
after which, failing strength and advancing 
years made it impossible for him to resume 
his professorial duties, and in 1894 he was 
made professor emeritus. 
The year 1818 is conspicuous in the his- 
tory of the development of science in this 
country by the founding of the American 
Journal of Science. From its inception until 
his death the name of Benjamin Silliman 
appeared on its title-page as senior editor. 
In 1846 to that name was added that of the 
younger Silliman and Dana as associate 
editors. Of these three Dana was the sur- 
vivor, and from 1875 till his death he was 
its senior editor. 
In 1893, on the occasion of his eightieth 
birthday, a congratulatory letter from his 
scientific colleagues in New Haven made 
mention of his editorial career as follows: 
The long series of volumes of this periodical 
are a noble monument of the extent and thor- 
oughness of your labors as a naturalist. * 
It is fortunate for American science that 
this journal has been handed down as a 
precious legacy to the grandson of its 
founder, Edward S. Dana, under whose 
able guidance, let us hope, that it may long 
continue. 
Wherever mineralogy or geology is taught, 
the unsurpassed text-books on these sub- 
jects by Dana, hold easy supremacy. His 
*ScIENCE, New Series, Vol. I., p. 489; May 3, 
1895. 
