The San Francisco call., 1896-01-21
JORDAN AS PRESIDENT,
First Meeting of the Academy of
Sciences Under the New
Regime.
The Distinguished Professor Promises
Some Instructive and Popu.
lar Lectures.

At the sta ted meeting of the California
Academy Of Sciences held last evening Dr.
Harkness introduced Professor Starr Jor-
dan, his successor as president of the
academy. The introduction was brief, and
before taking his seat Professor Jordan, in
few words, acknowledged the courtesy
and routine business was transacted. Pro-
fessor Leverett M. Looms, curator of the
department of ornithology, delivered a
carefully prepared lecture on alexander
Wilson, the poet-naturGlist, the father of
American ornithology."
The lecturer dwelt upon the early life OF
Wilson, when he developed talent at the
time he was in Paisley, and was going
from place to place with a pack on his
back, and told about the difficulties he en-
countered when he made up his mind to
publish volume of his poems Not hav-
ing the means TO enable him to do so he
went from house to house soliciting SUBJ
scriptions for the book. But he did not
meet with the success he anticipated, as
the people of his time did not encourage
man with pack.
After three years he gave up the effort.
but In the no eantlme he had made study
OF human nature, which served him in
writing his satlrical poems. firing of the
life OF packman, he returned to Paisley
and resumed his early vocation of weaver.
1t was then that he published the poem,
THE Long Dispute" " which at that time
did not receive the recognition it has
since attained. There he formed the ac-
quaintance of Burns, the poet, but their
acquaintance did not last on account of
the dissimiIarity of their natures. He
then made up his mind to try his fortune
in the New World, and in order to gather
together sufficient to secure deck passage
he lived on what shilling a week could
secure for him. Before leaving, he called
on every one he had satlrlzed and asked
forgiveness for anything he might have
written to wound their feelings.
The lecturer then gave an account of the
poet naturalist's struggles in the New
World as a weaver, packman, teacher and
surveyor and then devoted himself to his
work in natural science. He told of the
great difficulties Wilson met in learn
ing all about the birds of America and pre-
pairing his book in eight volumes, for
which he charged the then high price of
$120. This was in 1910. He told of Wilson's
travels and hardshiIs in the wild country
in search for material, and then spoke of
the wonderful work, which he said was
not slovenly. but clear in language and
description, and said no other work ON
ornithology occupies the place this does.
1t Is as clear work to-day as it was ninety
years ago and is as changeless as the hills.
The audience at the close of the lecture
showed its appreciation by loud applause.
After the meeting Professor Jordan
spoke to CALL rel porter about the plans
of the academy for the future. "Let me
say, he said, "that there will not be any
change of the curators, as they are all
capable in their respective lines. There
will not be any dismissals and there may
be an addition to the force, but that
depends upon the condition of the funds.
at is the intention to make the academy
lecture room an attractive place, to give in
teresting lectures on many topics and make
them popular. These will be given by
college professors, and some OF them will