8 
a well-considered plan. But the unfortunate conditions existing 
in many of our educational institutions renders the execution of 
such a plan a most delicate task. 
To fill out the skeleton plan of our Museum as originally 
sketched, there yet remains the completion of the rooms devoted 
to the Marine Faune and the Palzontological collections. The 
expenditures necessary for this object are considerable. It will 
require at least $8,000 to place the Atlantic and Pacific Rooms 
in a condition to be opened to the public, and the four Paleon- 
tological Rooms can scarcely be completed for a less sum than 
$25,000. Having for more than ten years borne the brunt of 
the expenditures necessary to erect the buildings, to accumulate 
the collections, and to place on exhibition what is now open 
to the public, I feel as if I ought to devote my time and such 
means as I may command in a different direction, and one per- 
haps more suited to my tastes. The development of the proper 
courses of instruction in Natural History at Cambridge, the 
fostering of original work among the Professors and Assistants 
of the Museum as well as among the students, and the providing 
of the means for the publication of such researches as may be of 
value, is a field quite large enough in addition to the carrying 
on of my own scientific researches, which have suffered more 
or less from the interruptions due to the claims of the man- 
agement of so large an establishment. While this is to be my 
principal object, I shall not forget that, in addition to these 
departments of the Museum in which my interest was centred, 
there are others yet to be completed. 
The claims of the Geological Department for a larger share of 
the income of the Museum, and for additional room, cannot be 
much longer ignored, and there are many collections still to be 
acquired before we shall attain the proper proportions between 
the various departments of the Museum. 
The following annual courses of instruction have been given 
at the Museum : — 
A course in Biology, by Professors Goodale and Faxon. 
An advanced course in Zodlogy, by Professor Faxon. 
General Lectures by Professor Mark, who also had charge of 
the Embryological Laboratory; Professor Faxon took charge 
of the general Biological Laboratory, assisted by Mr. Nolen. 
Professors J. D. Whitney, Shaler, and Davis gave the usual 
courses in Geology, Paleontology, and Physical Geography. 
