STUDIES ON MUSEUMS AND KINDRED INSTITUTIONS. 405 



the Piin-Aiiierican Exposition in Buffalo in 1901/' As all this would 

 make a radical change in the museums mentioned, 1 limit myself to a 

 few words concerning- the Natural Histor}'^ Museum, and speak of the 

 lihrar^^ in a somewhat more detailed manner/' 



MUSEUM OF THE BUFFALO SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 



The Natural Histor}^ Society of Buffalo was founded in IS^Il. It is 

 under the formal control of the University of the State of New York, 

 in Albany, and its object is the advancement and the study of the 

 natural sciences. Lately it has devoted itself particularly to making- 

 collections of the local fauna and flora, and for this purpose is divided 

 into fourteen sections. There is a president at the head of the institu- 

 tion. In 189S it had at its disposal an income of $3,500, of which $625 

 were derived from membership fees, $250 appropriated by the city, 

 $1,250 interest money, etc. 



The present director of the museum is a woman (conchologist). 

 The different sections are presided over by professional scientists or 

 amateurs, who serve without paj^. The best parts of the collection 

 are the minerals, the fossils, the shells, and the her])arium. A larger 

 series of deformed mound skulls should be noted. The museum con- 

 tains, all told, about 60,000 natural history specimens; the library, 

 4,300 books. It is open daily from 9 to 5, Sundays from 2 to 5; 

 admission free. The number of visitors last Aear was 105,000. The 

 society has 250 members, who pay $2 or $5, and 160 corresponding 

 meml)ers. The publications are as follows: Annual reports (the one 

 of 1898, with 18 pages; the earlier reports were longer, but none 

 appeared in 1899), bulletins with illustrations (6 volumes); see also 

 '•charter and bv-laws * * * together with the will of Dr. George 

 PI Hayes * * * 1890." Regular lectures are delivered and meet- 

 ings of the society' are held in one of the larger rooms. The Buffalo 

 Field Naturalists' Club of the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences, 

 founded in 1880, is affiliated with it. There is also a Buffalo Micro- 

 scopical Club, founded in 1876, which publishes Transactions. 



While the unfavorable exhibition space in the basement, which is 

 only 14 feet hig-h, and the limited means at the disposal of the societ}^ 

 have hitherto prevented it from displaying its already considerable 

 collection to the best advantage, it can hardly be doubted that the 

 Natural History Museum of Buffalo will, in its new location, receive 



<t The new building, where tlie collections of th.e llistorical Society are now housed, 

 stands also in the Delaware Park — 1903. 



^ A paper by W. O. Chapin: The Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, an historical sketch, 

 1S99, 77 jip., and an article in the Pnn-Amencan Magazine, May, 19(X), pp. 2-5, with 

 l>lan and illustrations of the Albright Gallery, give information regarding the art 

 collections. For information concerning the Historical Society the Annual Report 

 for 1898 (104 pages, with illustrations) may be consulted. The object of this society 

 is to study, collect, and preserve everything relating to the history of the western 

 part of the State of New York and to the city of Buffalo in partit'ular. 



