54 Biology in America 



Philadelphia. The early naturalist explorers, Say, Nuttall 

 and Townsend, were associated with the Academy at Phila- 

 delphia, two of whose members accompanied the famous 

 Wilkes Expedition to the Antarctic. The Academy was as- 

 sociated also with the early Arctic expeditions under Kane 

 and Hayes, while Peary's Greenland expedition of 1891 was 

 conducted under its auspices. Many are the names famous 

 in the annals of American biology which have been associated 

 with the Academy of Natural Sciences, Leidy, Cope, Cassin, 

 Bachman, Le Sueur, Gill, Osborn and a host of others. 



The collections of the Academy, descendants of the stuffed 

 monkey and the dried toad of its founders, have grown to 

 occupy the first rank among biological exhibits in America. 

 While they are surpassed in size and display by those of the 

 American Museum of Natural History and the U. S. National 



THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY IN NEW YORK 

 Courtesy of the Museum. 



Museum, for reference purposes along certain lines they are 

 second to none in the world. Its library too is one of the 

 best in America in biology, especially in the works of 

 the early writers. Pioneer among American museums the 

 Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia has blazed many 

 a trail for biologists into the unknown. 



It would indeed be difficult to assign a premier place to 

 any one museum of natural history in America, but were one 

 to undertake such a thankless task, his choice would be likely 

 to fall on the American Museum of Natural History in New 

 York City, which in breadth of purpose, in the extent and 

 value of its collections, and in its scientific achievements is 

 second to none in this country. Founded in 1869 it now 

 occupies a $4,000,000 structure in Central Park, which was 

 built and is maintained by the city, while the expense of the 

 collections and investigations is provided for by an endow- 

 ment, by dues of members and by private contributions. 



