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REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1901. 

 By R. Etheridge, Junr., Curator. 



["There should be no halt in the work of the Institution. "• .... The 

 urgent needs of the National Museum are recommended to the 

 favourable consideration of the Congress." — Eoosevelt, Presidential 

 Messages to the U.S. Senate and House of Represeyitatvves.'] 



The following Report treats of the work performed in the 

 Australian Museum during 1901, and of the condition of the 

 Collections therein. 



It was decided last year to publish an account of the year's 

 transactions as a Museum document pure and simple, rather 

 than as a portion of the Statutory Report made by the Trustees 

 under the Act of Incorporation (27 Vic, No. 2, 1853), to the 

 State Governor. By issuing such a statement as a number of 

 the Museum Records, it was felt that wider publicity would be 

 given to the work of the year. 



General Conditigx and Care op Collections. 



The general condition of the Museum, as an Institution, remains 

 in a very satisfactory state in all but its finances. It is useless 

 to disguise the fact that the latter, as lately derived from the 

 State funds, are not sufficiently liberal to conduct its afi"airs in a 

 scientific and practical manner if it is to progress, maintain the 

 high position attained amongst Colonial Museums, and not to 

 stagnate. By rigid economy, and very careful management, income 

 and expenditure have been balanced, but often at the expense of 

 lost opportunities. 



The whole of the Collections, both exhibited and in store, have 

 been carefully watched, and are in excellent preservation. 



The new Fish Gallery was opened to the public on 21st August, 

 and has since been largely frequented by visitors. 



Attendance of Public. 



The Museum continued open to visitors during the usual hours, 



viz , from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sundays, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p m. on 



all week-days except Mondays, which were reserved for cleaning 



purposes; but on Monday afternoons the collections were, as usual, 



1 The Smithsonian Institution at Washington. 

 A 



