Jan., 191 7. Annual Report of the Director. 81 



certain annual sum. This act, affording such striking evidence of 

 Mr. Field's interest in the work of the Museum and sympathy for 

 those who are performing it, has brought to the employes a comforting 

 assurance of the future, which not only spreads contentment and relief 

 throughout the Institution, but must add to the efficiency of the work 

 of its beneficiaries. 



The assumption by Mr. Edward E. Ayer of the cost of supplying 

 to the Ayer Ornithological Library any desirable publications not now 

 contained in the library, or which may hereafter be published, was 

 announced during the year — a provision for the future of this import- 

 ant section of the Museum Library which can hardly be over-estimated. 



Another gift from the membership of the Board of Trustees is that 

 of Mr. Arthur B. Jones, who assumes the cost of securing and installing 

 a group of six North American buffalo with landscape painting and 

 accessories. This gift which enables the Museum to present in the best 

 form known to the art of modern taxidermy this familiar but practically 

 extinct and exclusively North American mammal in different ages and 

 sex, is a most highly valued contribution to the exhibition halls of 

 the Department of Zoology. 



During the year the material procured at the San Francisco Expo- 

 sition has arrived at the Museum and altogether constitutes a very 

 valuable acquisition to all the departments of the Museum. The 

 Chinese pagodas are now installed in eleven cases. The Chinese 

 gateway has been erected in the main dome court, while the minerals 

 and birds and models and other items, all most desirable, have been 

 cared for in the proper departments. 



At a meeting of the Board of Trustees held December nth, by 

 unanimous vote permission was asked of Mr. Stanley Field to name 

 one of the exhibition halls of the new Museum building in his honor, 

 requesting him to select a hall. Mr. Field has since announced his 

 preference for the Hall of Mammals. 



A most noteworthy gift to the Museum during the past year has 

 been the private herbarium of the late Elihu Hall, consisting of ap- 

 proximately 35,000 specimens, presented by the heirs of Mr. Hall. 

 This extends the plant collection in the Museum to most gratifying 

 proportions and adds much new material of unusual interest and 

 worth. 



Dr. Frank W. Gunsaulus has presented the Museum with his re- 

 markable collection of Japanese sword guards, a collection which has 

 attracted much interest and comment while being on exhibition at the 

 Chicago University. Accompanying this most unique and almost price- 

 less collection, were a number of rare and costly volumes of Japanese 



