1880. | Editors’ Table. 357 
conduct. Of the eighty-eight pages issued in 1880, only two 
pages are from resident students, and one of these is occupied by 
matter already published elsewhere, for which no credit is given. 
e have referred to this view of the Academy’s work on previous 
occasions, not with a view of disparaging its usefulness, but for 
the purpose of enforcing our assertion that its present organiza- 
tion is not calculated to foster native talent nor develop original 
research at home. And this with unrivaled facilities within easy 
reach, both in the form of men and means. We have ascribed 
this failure to the unwillingness of the Academy (1) to create col- 
lections for study ; and to create or give positions of any degree of 
permanency to either (2) experts or (3) students; three points, it is 
easily perceived, absolutely essential to the accomplishment of work. 
We now add some new evidence of the correctness of these state- 
ments. 
We quote the following from a newspaper report of an address 
delivered by Dr. J. L. LeConte at the recent centennial dinner of 
the American Philosophical Society: 
“If time permitted I would be glad to mention to you what I 
conceive to be the proper functions of scientific societies, and the 
claims they have upon popular sympathy and assistance. They 
are, in a strict sense, neither oral teachers nor custodians ; but, to 
former should be under the protection of governmental assistance, 
- . E 
or in the care of largely-endowed institutions of learning. o 
untary contributions and unpaid labor can never support a museum 
tory even to those members of the Academy who approve the 
Present management ; although if the Academy publish princi- 
