Dana — American Journal of Science, 1818-1918. 9 



laid, a considerable list might be given of early publica- 

 tions of similar scientific bodies. Some of the prominent 

 ones are: Gottingen (1750), Munich (1759), Brussels 

 (1769), Prague (1775), Turin (1784), Dublin (1788), etc. 

 The early years of the nineteenth century saw the begin- 

 nings of many others, particularly in northern Italy. It 

 is to be noted that, as stated, only rarely were the publi- 

 cations of these learned societies even approximately 

 continuous. In the majority of cases the issue of trans- 

 actions or proceedings was highly irregular and often 

 interrupted. 



In this country the earliest scientific bodies are the 

 following : 



Philadelphia. American Philosophical Society, founded in 

 1743. Transactions were published 1771-1809; then inter- 

 rupted until 1818 et seq. 



Boston. American Academy of Arts and Sciences, founded 

 in 1780. Memoirs, 1785-1821 ; and then 1833 et seq. 



New Haven. Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences, 

 begun in 1799. Memoirs, vol. 1, 1810-16 ; Transactions, 1866 

 et seq. 



Philadelphia. Academy of Natural Sciences, begun in 1812. 

 Journal, 1817-1842 ; and from 1847 et seq. 



New York. Lyceum of Natural History, 1817; later (1876) 

 became the New York Academy of Sciences. Annals from 1823 ; 

 Proceedings from 1870. 



The situation is somewhat similar as to independent 

 scientific journals. A list of the names of those started 

 only to find an early death would be a very long one, but 

 interesting only historically and as showing a spasmodic 

 but unsustained striving after scientific growth. 



It seems worth while, however, to give here the names 

 of the periodicals embracing one or more of the sub- 

 jects of the American Journal, which began at a very 

 early date and most of which have maintained an unin- 

 terrupted existence down to 1915. It should be added 

 that certain medical journals, not listed here, have also 

 had a long and continued existence. 1 



1 The statements given are necessarily much condensed, without an 

 attempt to follow all changes of title; furthermore, the dates of actual 

 publication for the academies given above are often somewhat vaguely 

 recorded. For fuller information see Scudder's "Catalogue of Scientific 

 Serials, 1633-1876, >> Cambridge, 1876; also H. Carrington Bolton's 

 "Catalogue of Scientific and Technical Periodicals, 1665-1882" (Smith- 

 sonian Institution, 1885). The writer is much indebted to Mr. C. J. Barr 

 of the Yale University for his valuable assistance in this connection. 



