5 
Among other noteworthy acquisitions, I may mention a fine 
Pterodactyle from Solenhofen. 
The collection of North American Coleoptera bequeathed to 
the Museum by the late Dr. John L. Le Conte, has been sent to 
us by Mrs. Le Conte. Dr. George H. Horn, the life-long friend 
of Dr. Le Conte, was kind enough to superintend the packing 
and forwarding of this invaluable addition to our Entomo- 
logical Department. He himself accompanied the collection to 
Cambridge, and we owe to his interest the gesagt condition 
in which it has reached us. 
The Europeo-Siberian Room is nearly ready for exhibition, 
and during the coming year the greater part of the faunal collec- 
tions of the African Room will probably be sent to the Museum 
by Prof. H. A. Ward. The exhibition cases of the Atlantic 
Room have made good progress during the past year. It will 
be impossible to do anything towards the arrangement of the 
Paleontological Exhibition Rooms until the whole of our 
Paleontological collections have been unpacked and passed 
through a preliminary examination. 
The Museum collections have, during the past year, supplied 
materials to several specialists. A large part of the Blake col- 
lections are still in the hands of the naturalists, who have kindly 
undertaken the preparation of the Zodlogical Reports. As fast 
as the collections are returned, they have been distributed tn 
those museums in this country and in Europe which give spe- 
cial attention to the study of Marine Faune. The Echini and 
Ophiurans, and a part of the Crustacea, have been thus dis- 
tributed. 
In the light of past experience, I look with no small concern 
to the future growth of the Museum. As collections accumu- 
late, additional room will be required for their storage, and new 
assistants for their care. The resources of the institution will 
surely soon be entirely inadequate for the maintenance of the 
Museum on the scale of its present growth, if the policy thus far 
pursued is continued. The future welfare of the establishment 
is secured by its permanent connection with the University. 
But its funds naturally share the cautious management of 
the College, and the present Director has seen the income of 
the Museum gradually diminish from $35,000 a year to about 
$25,000. Meanwhile the salaries of the assistants and other 
