570 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [DeC;^ 



REPORT OF THE CURATORS. 



The collections in the care of the Curators remain in an excellent 

 condition and progress has been made in their study and classification. 



In June an appropriation of $150,000 was made to the Academy by 

 the State of Pennsylvania, for the erection of a new fireproof liljrary 

 and Auditorium. Plans for this new building, to be erected south of 

 the present Museum, and for the remodeling of the old Library building 

 for Museum purposes, have been adopted and work will begin early in 

 the coming year. 



The rearrangement of the collections in the old Museum building, 

 which was closed to the public while the new roof was being constructed, 

 has been practically completed, but until the new exliibition cases now 

 under construction are installed, it is thought best to keep the building 

 closed. 



In rearranging the collections, the fossil Vertebrates and the Lea- 

 collection of Eocene fossils occupy the main floor. The first gallery, 

 where birds were formerly displayed, now contains the collections of 

 fossil Invertebrates arranged in geological sequence. The exhibit of 

 recent mollusks is to remain on the second gallery. 



A temporary partition shuts off the east end of the main floor, forming 

 a room for the arrangement of the rapidly increasing study collection 

 of mollusks. 



One hundred white pine cabinets were purchased during the year 

 for the accommodation of this collection. In addition 720 cubic feet of 

 exhibition cases, uniform with those previously purchased, have been 

 ordered, and a number of moth-proof metal cases for the entomological 

 and ornithological study collections. 



Mr. Clarence B. Moore has made additional explorations among the 

 Indian mounds of the Southern States, and added valuable specimens 

 to his collection. 



Dr. Skinner, at the instance of the Canadian Government, accom- 

 panied Dr. Fletcher on a trip through Saskatchewan during the 

 summer, and made extensive entomological collections for the Academy. 

 Mr. Rehn, through the liberality of Mr. Morgan Hebard, was enabled 

 to accompany him on a trip through New Mexico, Arizona and Cali- 

 fornia, collecting Orthoptera and reptiles. All of the latter and half 

 of the Orthoptera became the property of the Academy. 



Numerous local trips to various parts of Pennsylvania and New 

 Jersey by other members of the Museum staff have added largely to 

 the herbarium and the collections of fishes reptiles and mollusks. 



