Fbbbuaky 16, 1906.] 



SCIENCE. 



265 



That every active member of the club shall in 

 each current year or session of the club be re- 

 quired to perform the amount of duty imposed 

 in common upon all, i. e., to read a paper, to re- 

 ceive the club, and preside at a meeting, and that 

 his failure to do so shall be regarded as sufficient 

 reason for erasing his name from the list of 

 members. 



Field meetings were held frequently, and 

 botanical novelties exhibited when discovered. 



Photography was a frequent subject of dis- 

 cussions. 



In 1864, being the seventh year of the ex- 

 istence of the club, the second volume of the 

 records was begun, recording the 128th meet- 

 ing. 



But on March 26, 1866, the record of the 

 146th meeting closes with ' adjourned sine 

 die.' 



On May 1, 1873, a meeting was called of 

 those interested in the formation of a Nat- 

 ural History Society for Washington and 

 vicinity, at the house of Professor W. H. 

 Seaman. 



Among others present were Professors 

 Baird and Gill, who gave a brief sketch of 

 the two previous societies, and their instru- 

 mentality in promoting scientific research and 

 social enjoyment, but adding that they both 

 went to pieces upon the same rock, that qf 

 expensive entertainments. Mr. W. E. Smith 

 presented and confirmed the same views. 



In the light of these historical reminis- 

 cences, it was voted that we resuscitate the 

 old Potomac-Side Naturalists' Club, with 

 meetings at each other's hovises, on alternate 

 Monday evenings, but that all refreshments 

 be dispensed with at these meetings. From 

 that time on, meetings were held with toler- 

 able regularity and much of interest, espe- 

 cially in the department of botany. 



The members interested in that specialty 

 set themselves to work upon a re-investiga- 

 tion and re-determination of the flora of the 

 district, .and a careful comparison of the 

 species found now, with those enumerated in 

 Dr. Brereton's ' Prodromiis.' 



During the floral season, the meetings were 

 largely devoted to the exhibition and examina- 

 tion of species brought in, or reported as hav- 

 ing been found by the botanical members. 



Out of this activity grew, in large meas- 

 ure, the ' Guide to the Flora of Washington 

 and Vicinity,' by Professor L. F. Ward, that 

 most valuable aid to the student of botany in 

 this region, published under the direction of 

 the Smithsonian Institution in 1881. 



The list of members of this reorganized so- 

 ciety numbers fifty-eight, embracing a large 

 number of the well-known scientists of Wash- 

 ington. The average attendance was six to 

 fourteen. 



A very interesting feature and help to its 

 existence and activity, was the publication by 

 Mr. Charles E. Dodge, of Field and Forest, 

 Bulleiin of the Potomac-Side Naturalists' 

 Oliih, a monthly magazine, containing records 

 of the club meetings, the papers read, and 

 other papers by specialists. 



This was continued from 1875 to 1878. 



In a circular sent out by. the secretary in 

 February, 1876, is found the following state- 

 ment : . - 



Our club, since its reorganization in 1875, has 

 kept up its meetings, fortnightly, except during 

 the summer vacation. 



Since April, 1874, it has found comfortable 

 quarters in' the Franklin School building, fur- 

 nished on condition that the club deposit there a 

 collection of the flora and fauna of the district. 



Such a collection is gradually accumulating, 

 and a large amount of material is now in the 

 hands of individual members", awaiting suitable 

 eases for exhibition and preservation. 



I fear this hope was never realized. 



The club continued its meetings and its 

 activity for about five years, till we find in 

 the record book imder date of February 11, 

 1878, the record of the 218th meeting, but 

 nothing further, and no note of dissolution, 

 so that the organization remained in a state 

 of ' innocuous desuetude,' till the organization 

 of the Biological Society, in 1880, attracted 

 most of the members, and seemed to fill the 

 place, formerly occupied by the old Potomac- 

 Side Naturalists' CUib. 



Its place is now occupied by a number of 

 societies, but its interesting records and its 

 pleasant memories still remain with the few 

 surviving members. 



