lO Dii'c'ctor' s AiJiiiial Report. • 



was due to the difficulty of getting someone who was more than a 

 mere "stuffer" of birds. Modern taxidermy demands an under- 

 standing mind as well as deft fingers, and a knowledge of and 

 sympathy with Nature. The Museum has profited by the delay, 

 for in the selection of Mr. \Vm. Alanson Bryan of the University 

 of Chicago (who arrived September 27) we have chosen a taxider- 

 mist fully able to meet all the needs of the Museum. Soon after 

 his arrival, on the recommendation of Mr. Bishop, Mr. Alvin Seale 

 was appointed collecftor of birds, a work in which he had already 

 acquired an enviable reputation. He arrived November S. It is 

 expelled that when the shore and sea birds of this group have been 

 obtained, he will go to other groups and add to our collections. 

 It is especially desired that the sea birds of the Pacific should 

 muster in full force in our cases, and for this end an expedition to 

 the Farallones of the Marianas and to the Chatham Islands would 

 be most desirable. In the meantime Nihoa should be visited for 

 the many species that breed there undisturbed. 



In the spring the Trustees requested Dr. William H. Dall of 

 the United States National Museum to visit the Museum and ex- 

 amine critically the collecftion of shells made by Andrew Garrett 

 and increased by various purchases and exchanges. August 16 he 

 arrived and for two months made a most careful study of the col- 

 le(5lion and his notes and corrections are in hand with a view to the' 

 rearrangement of the shells in the most approved modern manner, 

 and also to the publication of the catalogue. His report to the 



Director is as follows : 



Bishop Museum, 



Honolulu, Sept. 1899. 

 Dr. Wm. T. Brigh.vm, 



Dirp:ctor Blshop Museum. 

 Dp;ar Sir: — I have the honor to make the following report 

 on the Garrett collection of shells belonging to the Museum, its 

 condition, the work which I have done upon it, and the work 

 which still remains to be done. 



I may say by way of preliminary that I had originally intended 



