126 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES [Proc. 4th Ser. 



expense to the Academy, by Dr. Saxton Pope, assisted by 

 Arthur Young and G. D. Pope. Permission was granted 

 by the Park authorities to get four grizzly bear for this pur- 

 pose. It is expected that before the close of this calendar 

 year the group will be installed. It will fill the last available 

 alcove and, thereafter, the need for more exhibit space will be 

 felt more than ever. 



The Academy is a growing institution, as yet but inade- 

 quately equipped to carry on the activities which should be its 

 special concern. It should have more housing facilities for 

 scientific and educational natural history material. It should 

 be engaged in carrying natural history lessons into the school 

 rooms of the city and it should have better facilities for popu- 

 lar lectures on scientific subjects. Despite the present inade- 

 quate facilities the weekly lectures (Sunday afternoons) have 

 proved very successful. Their scope appears from the list 

 submitted. They are attended to the limit of our small audi- 

 torium's seating capacity. I am sure that I voice the senti- 

 ments of all members and friends of the Academy who have 

 attended any of these lectures, when I say that the kindness 

 of those who have given the lectures, frequently at no little 

 personal inconvenience, has been sincerely appreciated. 



In the President's last annual report note was made of the 

 fact that on appeal to the Supreme Court, the will of Mr. S. 

 F. Thorn under which the Academy was bequeathed some 

 land near Santa Cruz and other property, had been sustained. 

 It was subsequently learned that this decision was not rend- 

 ered by the Court in banc. Upon further hearing, the Court 

 in banc reversed the earlier decision, finding that the will was 

 not holographic because the single word ''Cragthorn" had 

 been inserted with a rubber stamp. The will was declared 

 illegal and it now appears that the announcement of last year 

 was at fault and that the Academy takes nothing under the 

 will. 



Among the notable acquisitions of the Academy during the 

 year is the W. Otto Emerson collection of bird skins, some 

 5300 in number. Most of the birds represented in this col- 

 lection, which has great scientific value, are from Alameda 

 County. It has come to us through the generosity of W. H. 

 Crocker and John W. Mailliard. 



