TWENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT 57 



TROPICAL RESEARCH STATION. 



The most important action taken by your committee during 

 the year has been the establishment of a Tropical Research Sta- 

 tion at Georgetown, British Guiana, for the prosecution of 

 scientific work in the general problems of evolution and in the 

 life histories of birds and mammals, and also to provide a trop- 

 ical base for collecting and shipping to the Park and the Aqua- 

 rium a constant supply of mammals, reptiles, amphibians and 

 fishes. This matter was first brought to the attention of the 

 Executive Committee by Mr. C. William Beebe, Curator of Birds 

 at the Zoological Park. After a careful investigation by a sub- 

 committee appointed for that purpose, the station was author- 

 ized. It is estimated that $5,000 will be necessary for its estab- 

 lishment and maintenance during the year 1916. The funds 

 for this purpose were received from the following members of 

 the Board of Managers, who have each contributed $1,000 : 



Cleveland H. Dodge, C. Ledyard Blair, 



Mortimer L. Schiff James J. Hill, 



George J. Gould. 



This station is to be known as the Tropical Research Station 

 of the New York Zoological Society, and is to be in charge of 

 Mr. Beebe, who will be known as Directing Curator, subject to 

 the orders of your committee. The following officers have also 

 been appointed: Messrs. G. Innes Hartley, Research Associate; 

 Paul Howes, Research Assistant and Donald Carter, Collector. 

 Messrs. Hartley and Howes, both trained scientists and collect- 

 ors, are giving their services free. Arrangements also have been 

 made with the Trinidad Shipping Company for the free trans- 

 portation of collections, and with the government of British 

 Guiana for the free use of buildings and facilities in the Botani- 

 cal Gardens at Georgetown. 



This is a great step forward in the scientific branch of the 

 Society's work. It is interesting to note that nothing of the kind 

 has been previously attempted by a zoological society. 



The funds at present available are only sufficient for 1916, 

 and the continued existence of this station will depend upon the 

 results achieved during that year. 



GALLERY OF OIL PAINTINGS. 



Provision for the next five years for the Gallery of Oil 

 Paintings of American Wild Game has been made. The amount 



