NATUEAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. S83 



The following reports were read and referred to the Publication 

 Committee : 



KEPORT OF THE CURATORS. 



Another year lias passed with its usual addition of treasures to the Museum 

 of the Academy, which has now become, from its exceedingly crowded condi- 

 tion, rather a rich store house of materials for the use of naturalists, than a 

 convenient place of exhibition and study. A new and previously unforseen 

 incident has occurred during the year which greatly contributes to the neces- 

 sity of our seeking other quarters. A huge store, recently erected in the rear 

 of our building, so much diminishes the light from that direction, as greatly 

 to interfere with the view of objects in the museum. 



The trustees of the building fund of the Academy continue their efforts to 

 procure means to provide proper accommodations for the purposes of the 

 institution, not only suitable to its present condition, but having in view its 

 future increase, but their means are not equal to what are desirable. Having 

 obtained subscriptions from citizens of upwards of $100,000, they have select- 

 ed and purchased an ample piece of ground, in many respects well selected 

 and located, at the south-west corner of 19th and Race Sts., opposite one of 

 the finest public squares of the city. But the lot has cost upwards of $60,000, 

 and the estimates of an appropriate building approach $300,000, Mhich we see 

 bi;t little prospect of obtaining. 



Many of the subscribers to the building fund and other citizens object to 

 the location chosen, and consider that a position on Broad Street would be in 

 many respects more desirable, and especially as it would there be more in the 

 way of travel of those most interested in the institution. Admitting this view 

 to be correct, a greater difficulty in the way of accommodating the Academy 

 in this position, is the much greater value of the ground than in the locality 

 already chosen. 



Most of the members of the Academy, and numerous citizens hope and look 

 for aid from our Legislature and City Councils, in the suggested appropriation 

 of one of the Penn Bcjuares for the uses of the institution. Taking the view 

 that the Academy is virtually a public institution, of which its members are 

 the trustees, and considering the importance it is to the intellectual interests 

 of the {-ublic, it appears to us no mor than a matter of justice that the city 

 should be enabled to appropriate for the use of the Academy, what is now 

 really a useless common. It is to be hoped that the efforts now being made by 

 the Trustees of the Building Fund of the Academy, to obtain an act of the 

 Legislature to permit our City Councils to appropriate one of the Penn Squares 

 to our uses may prove successful. With such assistance, we could no doubt 

 readily obtain the additional means to erect a suitable building lor the Acade- 

 my, one which, with its stores of intellectual treasures open free to the public, 

 would become one of the most attractive features of Philadelphia. 



The Museum collection is in good condition. Our thanks are due to Messrs. 

 Isaac Burke and E. Dieftenbaugh, who have poisoned the entire American 

 Herbarium, and are now engaged in doing the same with the General Herba- 

 rium. This is a most important work, ensuring the plants against the depre- 

 dations of insects. 



Among the most important and attractive additions made to the Museum 

 during the year is the restored skeleton of the great extinct reptile Hadrosau- 

 rus, now occupying the fore part of the lower hall. The restoration is due to the 

 accomplished natural history artist B. Waterhouse Hawkins, of London, and 

 when we add that all the labor and expense attending the restoration was a 

 voluntary contribution of the gentleman, we cannot too much express our grat- 

 itude to him. 



The fine mounted specimen of the great extinct Elk, of Ireland, which has 



1868.J 26 



