14 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA 



The Director of the Museum, Dr. Albert Kellogg, reported on 

 matters under his charge, as follows: 



REPORT OF DIRECTOR OF THE MUSEUM. 



As Director of the Museum of the California Academy of Sciences, it is 

 but just to say, at the outset, that the improved order of arrangement wit- 

 nessed by you, was inaugurated, supervised, and mainly executed, with dis- 

 tinguished zeal and ability, in my absence, by Mr. Harford, my improved 

 substitute and Director pro teni. — of course, by and *with the consent and co- 

 operative aid of others. For my part, I candidly confess the idea of tem- 

 porary occupancy had, to some extent, weakened niy enterprise in the direc- 

 tion of pressing necessities. With this new field of space utilized, I trust 

 we may be able to furnish it with the needed cases. If we can only provide 

 the books and means to identify and care for collections, the men, as curators 

 and members of all work, will see that there can be no cause of comprint at 

 the close of 1876. 



I am aware that we have little means to expend; but if our urgent wants 

 were known, it might lead to the ways and means. 



In the department of Minerals, the past year, we have received 340 dona- 

 tions. 



Mr. Chas. D. Gibbes, whose singleness of purpose, and hearty sympathy 

 has ever been steady to the Academy's interests, failing to arouse a proper 

 zeal in behalf of this department, at length determined to see some system 

 inaugurated, of more pratical utility to the miner and general enquirer. 

 While the strictly scientific arrangement of the Curator was not in any way 

 disturbed, he has bestowed great -labor and ability in sectionizing the depart- 

 ment, according to Countries or Nations, States and Counties, thus facilitat- 

 ing special reference. Now, a person desirous of visiting a certain section, 

 can seek and readily find sectional information; or, if more time is at his 

 command, and not satisfied with this localized cabinet, he may search the 

 general cabinet. This special system is somewhat similar to an immense 

 promiscuous volume, well indexed, and to some extent topographically sec- 

 tionized, while the other affords no such bird's eye facilities; but to execute 

 the plan well, needs much room. With the cooperative contribution of Min- 

 ing companies, only abating the merest iota of the monster specimens so 

 zealously sent abroad, in less than a year this system could be adequately 

 established. 



We have many wealthy members offering us subscriptions for timber, 

 bricks, and mortar, to the extent of thousands of dollars. Now, seeing this 

 is no longer needed, why not pay a trifle — of course, selecting their own 

 way of doing it — to such parties as they may choose to invite to their expe- 

 dition, as canvassers and collectors, etc., and let them visit the mines, etc., 

 and so be accredited for their collections, e. g. 



This age is already deciding that the best monuments are those most use- 

 ful, and such will be the wise decision of jDosterity. 



It is high time to be preparing and arranging our cabinets for the new 



