IOWA ACADEMY OP SCIENCE 
9 
In the Proceedings of the present Iowa Academy of Sciences: Volume I, 
Part 1, published in 1890: 
Notes on Some Shells and Ferns, p. 17. 
Some Additional Observations on the Loess in and about Muscatine, p. 45. 
The Ferns of Muscatine county, Iowa, p. 9^. 
Part II, published in 1892: 
Notice of Arrow points from the Loess in the city of Muscatine, p. 66. 
The Gas Wells near Letts, Iowa, p. 68. 
Part III, published in 1893: 
Some Observations on Helix cooperi, p. 28. 
On the Absence of Ferns between Fort Collins and Meeker, Colorado, p. 29. 
Notice of a stone Implement from Mercer county, Illinois, and one from 
Louisa county, Iowa, p. 30. 
Volume VI, 1899: 
Observations on the Geology of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, p, 93, 
Professor Witter ’s work was seriously interrupted and much of it whol- 
ly destroyed by fire in 1895, but fortunately a large collection of mol- 
lusks, including the loess fossils, was safe at his home. About two years 
before his death, having given up all thought of work other than that in 
botany, he presented this collection to the chairman of your committee, 
together with his field notes. He also pointed out, in a series of field ex- ' 
cursions, the exact localities in which he collected his loess fossils, and 
gave much other interesting information, all of which will be considered 
in reports on the loess in the near future. 
In view of the fact that the aeolian origin of loess is now generally 
conceded it is of interest to note that as a result of his comparative studies 
of recent and loess mollusks Professor Witter long questioned the ade- 
quacy of the aqueous theory, and as early as 1880 ventured to express 
some doubt in a paper ‘ ‘ On the Occurrence of Certain Shells in the Vicin- 
ity of Muscatine,” at a time when the aqueous theory held full sway. 
While much of Professor Witter ’s work was of real scientific value, he 
excelled particularly in arousing the interest of children and of the gen- 
eral public in the natural history of his vicinity. Pie published numer- 
ous articles on local natural history in the Muscatine papers, stimulated 
•the pupils of the schools to study the world about them, and by his energy 
and enthusiasm was able to sustain the Muscatine Academy of Sciences 
for several years. Pie was a true lover of nature, for his was a heart so 
great in its affections that it could include not only the members of the 
human race, but all the living w^orld about him. 
By his death this Academy has lost a valued and honored member, the 
State of Iowa a most useful citizen, and the children of the state a friend 
