Vol. XI] EVERMANN— DIRECTOR'S REPORT FOR 1921 625 



fully the methods of his department in collecting and other 

 field work, the tagging and preservation of specimens, the 

 recording of field observations, etc., the care of specimens 

 when they reach the Museum, the accessioning and card cata- 

 loguing of specimens, the care of specimens in the research 

 collections, and many other matters, including the aims and 

 purposes of the department. At the next meeting the Curator 

 of Birds and Mammals did the same for his department, and 

 the others followed. These meetings have proved extremely 

 interesting and must certainly result in great good in several 

 ways. In the first place, they give each curator an opportunity 

 to become informed regarding the work of the other depart- 

 ments, their aims, purposes, ideas, methods, and accomplish- 

 ments. In this way he is brought into closer touch with the 

 Museum as a whole, and is made more appreciative of the 

 work of his associates. Another excellent result of these "cab- 

 inet meetings" is that each curator is lead to examine and 

 consider more carefully the aims, methods and accomplish- 

 ments of his own department. 



Each curator very naturally and very properly is ambitious 

 that his department shall be the best organized, the best con- 

 ducted, and in every way the most up-to-date department in 

 the Museum. When he hears from the others about their 

 departments, he will the more critically examine the work of 

 his own department and be inspired to greater effort. In the 

 end the activities of the Museum will become more unified 

 and more efficient. 



Department of Botany 



The most noteworthy event in the history of the Herbarium of the 

 California Academy of Sciences in the past year was the acquisition of 

 the Albert Prager Herbarium from Leipsic, Germany. This was made 

 possible through the generosity of the following members of the 

 Academy: Mr. Wm. M. Fitzhugh, Mr. Wm. C. Van Antwerp, Mr. J. D. 

 Grant, Mr. Wm. H. Crocker, Mr. Wm. F. Herrin, Mr. John C Augsbury, 

 and Mr. A. F. Morrison, who contributed the necessary funds. The price 

 paid for the herbarium was $1,000, to which was added the cost of packing, 

 transportation, and some incidental expenses, which made the total cost 

 $1,266.53. 



This herbarium was regarded as one of the largest and most important 

 private herbariums in Germany and was sold chiefly because of the 

 great age of the owner. We were most fortunate to have the chance 



