Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1850-06-21
Address of Rev. Zadock Thompson before
the Boston Society OF Natural History,
June 8, 1850.

- mT' IFeS'ueH ana ueNUPmen 0t me SOCIETY =
w hen received your kind invitation to al
- pear before you on this occasion. mmedatel
1t wrote reply. in which, after expressing m
IS grateful acknowledgment Of the honor done M
y respectfully declined il. In that reply state
n that, although bad ever felt deep interest i
d the affairs OF this Society, and had at dif1eren
% times contributed few trifling things, from m
r. own nelghborhood, 10 its collections, vet m
= dliiidence and ignorance Of what would be cX
pected Of me, would make me extremely clue
S ant to appear before it on this occasion even i
J. could do 1t without feeling any fears Of bring
j. ing discrcdit upon myself or uDon the nsiitu
tion. But when | considered the opportunities
:. | had enjoyed and my qualifications for this po.
sition, Cor rather the want of them,l an accept.
ance of the invitation appeared to me to be lit
, tie less than downright presumption; and
> there stated that, for person who had always
resided, as had done, among the Green Noun
= lalns of Nermont--Who had never been so far
from home as Boston, perhaps, dozen times in
, his life-who had done what little he had done
in the business Of Natural History, without any
associates engaged in like pursuits-whout
having access to any collections Of specimens
and almost without books for person, who
: had always been thus situated, to attempt to
discourse upon the general subject Of Natural
History, before the Nauralists of Boston and
vicinity, who have enjoyed years of mutual aid
and intercourse. and who have been privileged
with easy access 10 ample collections of spcci.
mems and books, appeared to me as absmd as
would be an attempt Of lie Nerrer's new planet,
Neptune, TO illuminate the Sun.
Having delayed, for few days, the trans
mission OF this reply, and having in the mean
time reflected somewhat upon the subject ]
finally changed my determination and conclu-
IpIt hat & 4 L. ....l
casion for me TO confne my remarks principally
10 the sphere Of my own observations-to the
productions Of my own neghborhood- to
the advantages and difficulties in the way Of the
cultivation of Natural History in newly settled
country places, would venture to accept the
invitation. This change of my determination
was not on account OF any change of views Of
my own qualifications to discuss the general
subject OF Natural History, but because |
thought it possible that might say something /
respecting the productions of a country so little |
known as Vermont, which would be new and !
interesting to many OF the members Of this So. |
ciety; and, if ! failed in this, my very future !
would confirm the truth Of my statements in re-
Iation TO the dQ'cutieS in the ray Of The cultira
Hon n Natural History an couniy places.
Inc State Of Vermont, in wuic1 reside, be-
ing entirely without sea. board, is, consequent
y, wholly destitute Of that great and interest
ng variety Of productions furnished b, the
ocear, with the exception of those whit are
now only found in the fossil state. Hence. it
could not be expected that Vermont would
equal, in the variety Of lis fauna and botany,
those neighboring StatcF, which can number
me marine with their terrestrial productions.
It's settlement, too, took place at period much
ialer than that Of any Of the other New England
states, and the people have, hitherto, necessa-
rlIy, been so much occupied in clearing away
lhe forests aud providing the means OF subsis-
tence, as to allow them neither the time nor the
advantages for scientific pursuits, which are
ljoyed in the older States Consequently, the
number OF those who have made any attempt to
investigate our natural history has been ex
ceedingly small compared with the numbers
engaged in Ike pursuits in other States.
Hence il would not be surprising, should it be
iound that Vermont has teen less thoroughly
explored than the neighborng States-,hosc {
states, especially, III which legislative aid has
been added 10 their other advantages.
The most prominent Characteristic in the {
physical features Of Vermont is its range Of t
Green Mountains. These mountains, which {
give name 10 the State, extend through lis en- 5
Ilre length from south TO north and have an
important relation to the various animal and {
vegetable productions. The two slopes of this
range, one terminating in Connecticut river on {
The east and the other in Lake Chomnlain and !
Hudson riv err on the west. are 50 dislimiI,r in
their Characteristic productions flat thov n,a, bo r
regarded as two distinct provinces for the labors
If the naturalist. While the eastern slono is
n its character. clearly iden,ifod win Wo,n !
England. the western cxbibi,s as co,riy ,Eo :
of Nv Ynk and tho y'eI,o'n o,'n
States and This dis,inc,ion is moro or Ioss oI'
seryabIe in all tbe ,hroe kinGdcms of ra,nsa =
N the rocks and mineral, in m. yogotaLIog +
and in the animals '''''' =
m +
ne eco'o4y ana m'ncfaIogy OF Vermont =
'a''' curing lew years past received con
'Ioc'aOic a'eh"on. Al 'ne commencement OF
ne gGo'o3'cai ana mInerai"gIcaI surveys in the :
.eIeno1"ng states, there were IN Vermont -,
eW lnd' vidHai' who were SuncleniIy y acquain- a
eu WIN inoSe subjects to be able to form just T.
OF The importance OF such surveys not II II
'hIy Tor advancing the cause OF science, but a.
or ceVeioPng the resources OF the country y
ina they no sooner saw them in the course Of
successful prosecution abroad, than they began ,
o urge upon the Legislature of Vermont the II