6 Field Museum of Natural History — Reports, Vol. V. 



condition of the structure is safe and stable. A thorouRh examination 

 of the present Iniildin^ \s*as also made by expert inspectors to examine 

 the fire conditions and the protection and equipment for the prevention 

 and cxtinpuishinK of fires, who report that a hi^h degree of precau- 

 tion is exercised insofar as fire hazard in the building was concerned 

 and tliat the protection was good and well maintained. Three minor 

 defects in the system were noted and the recommendations to remedy 

 these have been carried out. 



A committee of citizens interested in the establishment of an aqua- 

 rium addressed the Board of Trustees to ascertain to what extent the 

 authorities of the Museum would support the movement and contribute 

 scientific assistance or control of its management. The response of the 

 Board was not only in favor of establishing the aquarium, especially if 

 a location could be obtained in proximity to the new Muscimi building, 

 but the Trustees declared their willingness and their desire to accept 

 the scientific management of the proposed aquarium. 



A review of the acquisitions of the Museum by gift and purchase dur- 

 ing the past year will demonstrate the increasing wealth of the In- 

 stitution. Among the gifts may be mentioned many from the ex- 

 hibiting countries and indi\'iduals at the Panama-Pacific International 

 Exposition. The Museum acquired by purchase some striking and at- 

 tractive material from the Chinese Government, which had been on 

 exhibition at San Francisco. Other interesting material not costly but 

 unusual and dc-sirable was also purchased. Special mention should be 

 made of the gift of Mr. Fritz von Frantzius, consisting of two Imperial 

 Chinese Jade books and a collection of Japanese coins. 



The resignation of Dr. George A. Dorsey, Curator of the Department 

 of Anthropology, after twenty years service with the Institution, 

 created a vacancy which was filled by the appointment of Dr. Berthold 

 Laufer as Curator of the Department. Dr. Laufer was formerly the 

 Associate Curator of Asiatic Ethnolog>' and, during the year Dr. 

 Dorsey was absent in the Orient, assimicd the duties of Acting Curator. 

 His extensive and varied experience in scientific research and investiga- 

 tion has specially qualified Dr. Laufer for the position to which he 

 has been appointed. He has conducted expeditions into eastern Siberia 

 for exploration of the ethnology of native tribes and to Tibet and China 

 for culture-historical investigations and ethnological collections; was 

 assistant ciu^tor of ethnology at the American Muscimi of Natural 

 Histor>'; lecturer in anthropology and East-Asiatic languages at Colum- 

 bia University, and is the author of many important books and papers 

 relating to the ethnolog>*, archacolog>' and philolog>' of the East. 



With funds contributed by Mr. Norman W. Harris an attractive and 



