1893.] NATURAL, SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 567 



The attendance has not been large, but considerable interest has 

 been manifested and communications of value have been made. 



The Section has labored under the disadvantage that very few of 

 the present members of the Academy are sufficiently interested in 

 the study of mineralogy and geology to become members of the 

 Section or to take an interest in its meetings. 



The officers elected at the annual meeting are as follows: 



Director, ..... Theo. D. Rand. 



Vice- Director, W. W. Jefferis. 



Treasurer, .... John Ford. 



Conservator, . . . . W. W. Jefferis. 



Corresponding Secretary and Recorder, Charles Schaffer, M. D. 



Theo. D. Rand, 



Director. 



REPORT OF THE ORNITHOLOGICAL SECTION. 



A great deal of important work has been accomplished during the 

 past year in the ornithological department of the museum. 



The renovation of the collection has been continued in the man- 

 ner stated in the previous reports of the Section but a 

 much greater advance has been made in the work owing to the fact 

 that during the spring and summer the taxidermist, Mr. McCadden, 

 was enabled to devote all his time to this department. 



In all 2,214 mounted specimens, comprising all of the water birds 

 with the exception of the snipes, plovers and storks, have been care- 

 fully examined and the best specimens remounted on walnut or 

 stained stands. The unsightly specimens and duplicates unnecessary 

 for display have been labeled and stored in cases of drawers. 



The vast improvement in the appearance of the exhibition cases 

 after the specimens have been remounted is at once apparent to any- 

 one visiting the gallery. 



All the information contained upon the old stands has been care- 

 fully preserved and all the specimens have been numbered and 

 catalogued. 



The study collection of skins remains in an excellent condition and 

 has been rearranged during the year in air-tight tin cases especially 

 provided for it. All the accessions to this collection, numbering 



