1871-72.] REPORT ON HIS Ml^EL'M. 197 



inanities there is not a purely scientific establishment of higher 

 character, or distinguished by more active, unremitting original 

 research in various departments of knowledge. If the same pecuni- 

 ary support it has had in the last two years can be continued in the 

 coming years, it will not be long before the scientific world will 

 acknowledge that the Museum of Comparative Zoology in Cam- 

 bridge has no superior, nay, no equal, in the world (Report of the 

 Director, in the "Annual Report of the Museum of Comparative 

 Zoology at Harvard College, in Cambridge, for 1872," pp. 4, 5; 

 Boston, 1873). 



Early in 1873 ^ became apparent that the Museum could not 

 longer be carried on with the means at the disposal of the Curator. 

 Repeated assistance from the state and from private sources kept 

 the institution up to a standard of activity far beyond its own regu- 

 lar resources. As the time drew near when retrenchment seemed 

 inevitable, Professor Agassiz made an appeal to the Legislature for 

 support, and with the generosity which has always characterized 

 their action towards an institution in which the state of Massachu- 

 setts has so great an interest, the Legislature appropriated twenty-five 

 thousand dollars, on condition that a similar sum should be con- 

 tributed by the friends of the institution towards its support. This 

 sum was at once subscribed by friends of the Museum, and the 

 appropriation of the state secured. Soon after this a further sum of 

 one hundred thousand dollars was presented to the Museum by 

 Mr. Quincy A. Shaw. These sums gave Professor Agassiz the 

 means to reorganize the Museum on a very extensive scale. Addi- 

 tional assistants were employed, collections were purchased in 

 every direction, and a large outlay made to place in safety the 

 valuable alcoholic collections stored in the cellar of the Museum 

 building. True to his policy of always using his present means as 

 a lever for further improvement, nothing was laid up for the future 

 and by the first of April next the Museum will have to depend 

 entirely upon its invested funds for its resources. This will entail 

 a very material reduction in the working force and running ex- 

 penses, as the regular income of the Museum is somewhat less than 



