DEPARTMENT REPORTS 61 



REPORT OF THE CURATOR OF GENERAL MUSEUM. 



To the President: 



Sir — I have the honor to submit the following report on the General 

 Museum for the year ending June 30, 1897: 



The condition of the collections remains about the same as last year, 

 although the instalation of two new cases last year has allowed the re- 

 arrangement of the larger mammals and a more attractive display of the 

 really fine specimens of these animals which until now were almost ob- 

 scured by crowding. Several important additions to the collections have 

 been made. The deer carcass presented last year by Mr. C. J. Davis of 

 Lansing was sent to Rochester, N. Y., and the skeleton, beautifully 

 mounted at an expense of $10, is now on exhibition. By purchase we 

 also secured some very fine teeth and a few bones of a mastodon whose 

 remains were found imbedded in a swamp at Eau Claire, Berrien county. 

 Three of the molars are exceptionally well preserved, being almost as 

 perfect and as compact as if taken from a freshly killed animal instead of 

 having been buried in mud for thousands of years. Perhaps the most 

 important single gift to the museum during the year is a collection of IG 

 bird skins presented by Mr. O. B. Warren, formerly of Palmer, Mar- 

 quette county, where these specimens were collected. All are well x)re- 

 pared skins of desirable species, and among them are several rare birds, 

 two of these furnishing ''first records" for the State. 



In pursuance of a policy adopted when I first took charge of the Museum, 

 it has been my aim to build up the biological collections so far as possible 

 with specimens actually taken in Michigan, and purchases have been 

 confined almost entirely to such examples. It doubtless will be several 

 years before our collections of Michigan mammals, birds and reptiles 

 will approach completeness, but each year some new species will be 

 added, or some better examples of those already on hand. Of course 

 donations of good specimens from any source are always gladly received. 



The Museum is one of the strong attractions for visitors to the College, 

 and its increasing popularity is indicated by the number of visitors. Not 

 only do our own students and their friends visit the place frequently, but 

 ever since the completion of the electric road to the College visitors from 

 Lansing and ''transients" from all parts of the State avail themselves 

 of the opportunity to see the collection. The Museum is open daily, 

 including Sundays, from 8 a. m. to 6 p. m. — or in winter until dark — and 

 there is rarely a day when several visitors may not be found there at any 

 time between these hours. It May, 1896, a register for visitors was 

 opened in the Museum, and although no attendant has been left in charge 

 of it, all visitors are requested to record their names, with place of resi- 

 dence and date of visit. Of course, however, many fail to comply with the 

 request. During the past year, from July 1, 1896, to June 30, 1897, 1,830 

 names were entered on the register, and it was estimated that at least 

 2,500 more visitors failed to register. This would give an average daily 

 attendance of at least 20, and indicates something of the utility of the 

 Museum as a popular educator, while it is also certain that some visitors, 



