JOURNAL
of the
Academy of Natural Sciences
of
PHILADELPHIA.
THE members of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, desirous of acquiring knowledge themselves, and extending it among their fellow citizens, have for some years been accustomed to meet at leisure hours for the purpose of communicating to each other such facts and observations, as are calculated to promote the views of the society. By degrees, a collection of subjects in natural history was made, and has increased until a museum has been formed, which is already very valuable, and which is daily increasing.
In further pursuance of the objects of their institution, the Society have now determined to communicate to the public, such facts and observations as, having appeared interesting to them, are likely to be interesting to other friends of natural science. They do not profess to make any periodical communication; but well knowing how desirable it is, that persons engaged in similar pursuits, should be made acquainted as early as possible with what has been done by their fellow-labourers in the fields of science elsewhere, they mean to publish a few pages whenever it appears to them that materials worthy of pub-
