ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 



1911. 



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, i g 1 1 . 



In one respect the year just closed must be considered the most 

 important in the history of the Institution by reason of the action of 

 the Board of Trustees accepting a site for the new Museum building 

 in Jackson Park, tendered by the South Park Commissioners. This 

 clearly complies with the terms of Mr. Field's will and secures a site 

 without cost to the Museum within six years following the date of his 

 decease. The location provided and accepted immediately north of 

 the present building, — highly desirable in every way and determined 

 upon after careful consideration had been given to other sites suggested 

 in various parts of the city, — was designated at a special meeting of the 

 Board, held March 22, 191 1; and a contract was thereupon executed 

 between the South Park Commissioners and Field Museum of Natural 

 History. The plans for the new building, including every detail of the 

 interior arrangements, have been completed and approved by all par- 

 ties in interest and the actual specifications for the contracts fully 

 drawn up and approved. So far, then, as the executive staff of the 

 Institution is concerned, its work on the new building is complete; 

 the results of six years' consideration and study have been given 

 final shape and expression. 



The activities of the Museum have been maintained in all directions. 

 Several important expeditions were in the field at the date of the last 

 report and several additional explorations have been inaugurated dur- 

 ing the year. Among these the Meek Panama expedition and the 

 Osgood Venezuelan expedition may be referred to as promising im- 

 portant data and material. The return of Dr. Berthold Laufer from 

 the Far East after an absence of over three years in the interests of 

 the Mrs. T. B. Blackstone Fund, bringing over 10,000 specimens of 

 Tibetan and Chinese ethnology, was a significant event in the year. 

 Dr. Laufer at present is preparing this magnificent collection for 

 installation, and the publication by him in the Museum series of a 

 work on Jade is but one of the notable results of this expedition. 

 The Curator of Botany left in August for an expedition and survey 

 of the Northern Tropics and the Far East. 



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