96 
BULLETIN OF WISCONSL\ NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. VOL. 2. NO. 2. 
Dec. 19, 1901. 
Dr. Geo. W. Peckhani, Chairman Committee of Wisconsin Nat- 
ural History Society. 
Dear Sir: — In response to your communication of December 
*I2, in relation to the terms upon which the Wisconsin Natural 
History Society would be willing to transfer their books to the 
Public Museum, I wish to say that the propositions contained in 
your communication have been considered by the Board of Trus- 
tees, that they have been accepted and that they shall be complied 
with as soon as the Board of Trustees will be in position to make 
the proper arrangements. Yours truly, 
Carl Thal, 
Acting Secretary. 
A report of progress was then read from Carl Thai, acting 
secretary of the Museum, who stated that as a result of their efforts 
to fill the gaps in the sets of the North American Scientific socie- 
ties, 100 volumes and 525 pamphlets had been added to the. library 
during the past 5 months. 
C. E, Brown drew attention to the unsatisfactory and incom- 
plete state of the by-laws of the society, and G. W. Peckham, E. 
Bruncken and Charles Doerflinger were appointed a committee 
for their revision. 
The following were elected to membership : W. H. Elkey, 
Clara Gladys Jones, Richard Philipp, Carl Thai, John F. Fedlin, 
C. H. Kroeger, F. Krempel, Theo. Wiese, A. H. Lohman, Mrs. 
Charles H. Kartak. 
Miss Harriet B. Merrill then read an interesting paper entitled 
''The Scientific Spirit.'' It was shown in detail how science and 
its methods dominate in nearly all domains of knowledge and 
civilized life. Literature, however, it was said, was an exception 
to the rule, a.s the personal element contained in it prevented our 
measuring it by the absolute standards of science. 
Mr. W. E. Snyder of Beaver Dam, Wis., followed with a paper 
on the ''Mammals of Dodge County, Wisconsin," mentioning 36 
species and sub-species that had all— with 2 exceptions — come 
under his observation. A large collection of skins which Mr. 
Snyder had brought with him to illustrate his paper, and which 
represented all but the larger animals in his list, was examined 
with much interest by those present at the close of the meeting. 
The attendance on this occasion was 29. 
WILLIAM J. BENNETTS, 
Recording Secretary. 
