NATUEAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 235 



180 feet in length on Race street, and 65 feet in breadth fronting on 19th 

 street. It is to be fire proof, and it is proposed to construct the walls of 

 green serpentine ornamented with Ohio stone. The estimated cost is about 

 $125, OOn, to which we hope an enlightened public, fully appreciating the im- 

 portance of such an institution as the Academy, will liberally contribute. 



The collections of the museum are in their usual condition of preservation, 

 but for want of proper space generally excessively crowded, often partially 

 or totally unarranged, and in some cases in tbe utmost confusion. The 

 Museum is now too^extensive to depend wholly on voluntary labor for its 

 being properly arranged, labeled and catalogued. To accomplish this it ie 

 necessary to employ competent persons, and it is to be hoped that before long 

 an effort will be made on the part of the Academy to procure the means es- 

 sential to the purpose. 



The increased attractiveness of the Museum of the Academy, and the almost 

 unrestricted admission of the public, have led to such an increase in the 

 number of visitors as greatly to endanger the condition of the more perisha- 

 ble portions of the collection. During the year the Museum, though open to 

 the public only two afternoons weekly, and though closed during August for 

 cleansing and repairs, was visited by nearly 100,000 persons. In a single 

 afternoon recently there were upwards of 4,500 persons admitted to the 

 Museum. In consequence of the very small amount of unoccupied room the 

 visitors move in nearly continued streams through the narrow intervals of 

 the cabinets, affording little opportunity for the examination of specimens. 

 Beside this disadvantage to those who would really wish to examine the col- 

 lections, the crowds lead to many accidents, the sum total of which amounts 

 to a considerable destruction of property, in the way of broken glass, light 

 wood work, &c. Further, the excessive clouds of dust produced by the mov- 

 ing crowds, rest upon the horizontal cases, obscuring from view their contents, 

 wbile it penetrates others much to the detriment of parts of the collection. 

 An annoyance arising from the great number of visitors is due to the neces- 

 sity of having tickets of admission, provided gratuitously from members 

 of the Academy or from agents authorized to issue them by the Curators. 



In view of all these annoyances, inconveniences and detriment to the Mu- 

 seum, attendant on an excessive number of visitors, the Curators would sug- 

 gest to the Academy the propriety of making a small charge for admission, 

 as the best means of qualifjMng or removing the various difficulties indicated. 



The Curators recommend the charge of a small fee, say ten cents, which 

 will probably be sufficient to moderate the crowds of visitors, and at thei 

 same time will be no obstruction to those who are desirous of seeing thje 

 Museum. Of course it is not intended te restrict the right of members to visit 

 the Academy in company with their friends at any and at all times according 

 to their convenience. 



The donations during the year, to the different departments of the Museum, 

 are as follows : 



Mammals. — Two skins and the skeleton of a Lemur, together with the skins 

 of several other mammals from Port Natal, Africa, were presented by the 

 Rev. S. A. Grout. Five other mammals were presented by Dr. James M. 

 Green, U. S. N., Prof. S. D. Gfoss, George Davidson and John Krider. 



Birds. — A special report, on the condition of the ornithological cabinet, has 

 been prepared by the standing committee and is appended to the present one. 



Two collections of bird skins from San Domingo, were jiresented by Wni. 

 M. Gabb J another from Port Natal by the Rev. S. A. Grout ; and a collection 

 from St. Martins, W. I., by Dr. H. E. van Rijgersma. A mounted specimen 

 of the Golden Eagle was presented by Frank L. Altemus ; a Lophophorus 

 impeyanus from Asia, by the Rev. J. L. Scott ; and a small collection of 

 birds, in alcohol, from South America, by Prof. E. D. Cope. Specimens of 

 birds were also presented by John Krider, Harvey E. Mole, W. P. Turnbull, 



[1869. 



