44 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



would be best of* course to have both, but having neither space nor funds 

 for extensive exhibits it seems wise to limit purchases — at least for the 

 present — to such things as will illustrate the natural wealth of our own 

 State. 



The bird collection is already better than that in any other college in 

 the State, with the exception of that in the University of Michigan. 

 The collection of mammals is much smaller and not as good in proportion, 

 but nevertheless is good. The display of reptiles is large but not good, 

 the specimens are poorly prepared and ill displayed for lack of space. 



The collection of fish is hardly worthy of the title, there are so few 

 good specimens of our common fishes, either mounted or in alcohol. Some 

 important additions have been made during the past two years but this 

 section of the Museum remains far behind that of any other, and this is due 

 only in part to the difficulty of preserving specimens properly, it is dif- 

 ficult to get good specimens to preserve. 



The transfer of the specimens of the insect collection from cork to 

 the unit system of wooden blocks has been almost completed during the 

 year. About two hundred and twenty-five cases have been rearranged on 

 the new system and only about a score of cases remain to be completed. 

 In the course of this work very many new species have been interpolated, 

 while new specimens have been added or put in place of faded or defective 

 ones. As this collection of insects numbers several scores of thousands 

 of specimens it will be seen that its care alone is an important part of 

 the work of the department, and its rearrangement has been a labor of 

 considerable magnitude. As at present constituted the collection is dis- 

 appointing in one respect; very many species are represented only by 

 specimens which bear no locality labels while many more are represented 

 only by specimens taken outside the State. It is my wish and purpose to 

 see every insect species which is found within our limits represented in 

 our collection by specimens actually taken in the State. It will take many 

 years to accomplish this, but a beginning has been made and each year sees 

 hundreds of local specimens added and a gradual approach to the desired 

 end. 



Following this report will be found a complete list of the accessions 

 to the General Museum for the past three years, that is, from July 1, 1899, 

 to June 30, 1902. The list is arranged alphabetically by the names of the 

 donors or parties from whom the specimens were obtained. The list does 

 not include gifts of insects, which are too numerous each year to be listed. 



Among the more important additions since the last report of accessions 

 should be mentioned a fine Canada Lynx presented by Mr. Win. M. Snell 

 of Sault Ste. Marie, and beautifully mounted by the late Percy Selous of 

 Greenville; fourteen mounted specimens of mammals, birds and fish from 

 Mr. Selous' collection — all local specimens ; and a collection of about two 

 hundred skins of Michigan birds obtained from Mr. Leon J. Cole of Ann 

 Arbor, a former student of this College. 



Respectfullv submitted, 



WALTER B. BARROWS, 

 Curator of the General Museum. 



