44 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



The condition of tbe General Museum remains much as for the past two 

 years, although its appearance and efficiency have been somewhat im- 

 proved by various additions and changes. Large printed labels have 

 been provided for all the larger stuffed animals and for some other con- 

 spicuous specimens, and the entire collection of invertebrates has been 

 overhauled, rearranged, and made ready for similar labeling. The col- 

 lections of mounted birds and reptiles have been rearranged, also, and 

 partly relabeled, but lack of time and assistance has prevented the com- 

 pletion of this work. Very little time is available except during the 

 summer vacation, and most of the assistant's time at that season is given 

 necessarily to Experiment Station work. 



An important change in the insect collection has been inaugurated and 

 is being pushed as rapidly "as time permits. Many of the cases having 

 become overcrowded and rearrangement being imperative, it was decided 

 to replace the cork lining of the ''Harvard" boxes with whitewood or 

 other blocks of uniform thickness and length but of various widths, all 

 being multiples of a unit block. The advantages of this block system 

 are many, but in particular it allows of the rearrangement of the entire 

 collection, or the interpolation of any number of new specimens, without 

 drawing any pins^ and it very much facilitates uniform and accurate 

 labeling; the cost of the blocks also is less than that of the cork formerly 

 iised. About one-half of our large collection has been placed on blocks 

 thus far, and the remainder will be similarly treated as the several orders 

 become too large for their present quarters. This system is now in gen- 

 ral use among the larger and better insect collections of the United States. 



The needs of the museum in the way of cases and case-room have been 

 mentioned in previous reports, and I would only add now that the collec- 

 tions are increasing in size and value every year, and the demand for a 

 new and fire-proof building becomes more and more imperative. The 

 valuation of the cases and collections, as shown by the inventory just 

 filed with the secretary, is 117,475.00. 



Among the more important additions during the past two years, I 

 would call attention particularly to the following: 



A fine adult male Alaskan Fur-Seal {CaUorMnus) and a pup of the same 

 species, both from the Pribyloff Islands, Behring Sea; skins obtained 

 through Dr. David StaiT Jordan, U. S. Commissioner to the Seal Islands, 

 and mounted by Ward. 



A collection of 150 typical rocks from the U. S. Geological Survey, 

 especially designed for teaching. 



A collection of 32 mammal skins and five bird skins from Thos. L. Hank- 

 inson, class of '98; the mammals all from Ingham county and collected 

 in connection with his thesis work for degree of B. S. 



A fine adult male Mountain Goat {Aploceros montana) from the Selkirk 

 range of British Columbia. (Purchased.) One of the rarest American 

 mammals. 



A Parasitic Jaeger (Gull), from Otter Lake, Mich. The first authentic 

 specimen ever taken in the State. (Purchased.) 



Parts of two very old human skeletons from an Indian mound in 

 Osceola county, Mich.; gift of G. F. Noggle, through S. L. Ingerson. 



A series of six brain models from Wm. Fuller, M. D., Grand Rapids. 

 (Gift.) 



Following is a complete list of accessions to the Museum during the 



