ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 



1907. 



To the Trustees of Field Museum of Natural History: 



I have the honor to present a report of the operations of the 

 Museum for the year ending December 31, 1907. 



The Museum has operated one year under its new By-Laws, 

 whose complete revision was demanded by the establishment of 

 its scope and the definition of its endowment. In revising the rules 

 and regulations governing the staff of the Museum, the responsibilities 

 and authority of the various officers and their relations to each other 

 were clearly set forth, and the experiences of the year under these 

 rules, have satisfactorily tested their rationality and effectiveness. 

 The rearrangement of the financial and executive system of the 

 Institution, including the election of an Auditor, has simplified and 

 unified the business of the Museum. 



A most important event of the year was a contribution from 

 Mrs. T. B. Blackstone to defray the expenses of an expedition to 

 Tibet, for collecting and study. Dr. Berthold Laufer lately of 

 Columbia University accepted the charge of this expedition and is 

 to devote three years to the work. Further reference to this 

 expedition is made elsewhere. 



The controversy as to the site in Grant Park for the new Museum 

 building has made progress in the Courts, but at the date of this 

 report remains undecided. Much attention has been given to the 

 interior plans of the new structure, more especially to the suites of 

 offices, the location and arrangement of the lecture halls, the admission 

 of visitors, checking systems, etc. 



Maintenance. — The sum of $161,750 was appropriated by the 

 Trustees for the necessary expenses of maintenance during the fiscal 

 year. The actual amount expended was $135,512, leaving a balance 

 within the anticipated expenses of the year of $26,238. In addition 

 to the cost of maintenance, sums were expended, upon authority of the 

 Board of Trustees, for collections, books, expeditions, field work, and 

 exhibition cases, that brought the total to approximately $180,000. 

 This left a balance within the estimated income of $16,000. Com- 

 paring the expenses of maintenance of this year with those of previous 



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