A set of six new exhibits of violets native to Illinois, completed 

 early in the year by Albert J. Franzen, Preparator and Taxidermist, 

 and Arthur J. Soderling, Assistant Preparator, is now in circulation. 

 Also completed are two squirrel exhibits, one identifying tree 

 squirrels, the other ground squirrels. Four old exhibits of white 

 lady's-slipper were renovated by replacement of the flowers. 



In addition to routine circulation of portable exhibits, the de- 

 partment filled thirty requests for study-kit material. Most of 

 these requests were from teachers for birdskins, mounted birds, 

 mammal skins, insect hand-cases, and rocks and fossils. At the 

 request of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences two of 

 the department's standard portable exhibits were lent to them to 

 assist in establishing a similar service there. 



LECTURE PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS 



The 105th and 106th series of lectures for adult audiences were 

 held in James Simpson Theatre on Saturday afternoons in the spring 

 and fall under the auspices of the Edward E. Ayer Lecture Founda- 

 tion. This continuing series, which features outstanding speakers 

 in the fields of natural history and ethnology, has covered subjects 

 from the frozen north and the mountains of Asia to the tropical 

 Nile and the Mediterranean. A total of 15,672 persons attended, 

 and letters as well as personal calls show continued appreciation. 



THE BOOK SHOP 



During the year an increasing emphasis was placed by the Museum's 

 Book Shop on handicrafts from various areas of the world, and 

 merchandise from about twenty countries was on sale. The Mu- 

 seum booklet For Pebble Pups, A Collecting Guide for Junior Geolo- 

 gists (see Annual Report 1955, page 71) continued to be a best- 

 seller, with approximately 25,000 copies sold in the fourteen months 

 ended December 31. The advertising program of the William 

 Wrigley Company featuring For Pebble Pups was completed during 

 1956, and the many letters from educators, parents, and children 

 attest to the value of this co-operative contribution to science 

 education. Book Shop sales for 1956 were $139,815.17, an increase 

 of more than $26,000 over 1955. Mail-order sales of books, color 

 transparencies, and other material continued to increase and 

 amounted to about 20 per cent of the total. 



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