Octobee 27, 1916] 



SCIENCE 



601 



Mr. W. B. Bourn lias presented to the academy 

 the Desert bird group. 



It is their wish, as it is the wish of every one in 

 any way connected with academy activities, that 

 these exhibits, and the others, now to be opened to 

 public view, may prove instructive and inspiring 

 and a source of lasting enjoyment to all of those 

 who care to avail themselves of the privilege, 

 open to all, of visiting the museum. 



To these donors and to all who have contributed 

 to the service value of the academy, the academy, 

 through its president, expresses its sincere ap- 

 preciation and gratitude. 



The academy welcomes such aid in the accom- 

 plishment of its aims and will ever be ready to 

 accept and manage any trust having in view the 

 advancement of science. 



Mr. Rainey, representing the mayor, and 

 Mr. Barron on behalf of the board of park com- 

 missioners, spoke of the great benefit which 

 the museum of the California Academy of 

 Sciences will be to the people of San Francisco. 

 The location of the museum in Golden Gate 

 Park, the most beautiful " people's play- 

 ground " in the world, is a guarantee that it 

 will be visited not only by our own people, but 

 by all who come to San Francisco. 



Dr. Jordan spoke of the value to general 

 education and to science of natural-history 

 museums. He called attention to the eminent 

 position already attained in the field of scien- 

 tific research by the California Academy of 

 Sciences, and the prominent place the academy 

 is destined to fill as a scientific educational 

 institution. 



In a reminiscent way, he told of his many 

 years' connection with the academy, as presi- 

 dent in 1896 and 1897, and again in 1900 to 

 1902, of his first visit to the academy in 1879, 

 and his pleasant meeting at that time with 

 W. G. W. Harford and Dr. Albert Kellogg 

 the botanist and one of the founders of the 

 academy. 



Dr. Evermann spoke in part as follows: 



In the few minutes allotted to me I shall be able 

 to speak briefly of only one or two of the mu- 

 seum's activities and aims. 



The California Academy of Sciences is a scien- 

 tific, educational institution. As a scientific, edu- 

 cational institution, the academy, through its mu- 

 seum, has two important functions. The first of 



these is that of scientific research. The museum 

 must furnish men and materials and facilities for 

 scientific investigation. Through its research col- 

 lections and its field investigations, it must study 

 and solve its share of the multitude of scientific 

 and economic problems which the physical and bio- 

 logical sciences, particularly those presented by 

 the zoology, botany and geology of western 

 America and the broad Pacific. We must do our 

 share in studying and investigating and making 

 known the natural resources of our country. The 

 academy must contribute its share to the world's 

 contributions to human knowledge. 



The second important function of the academy 

 is educational. The academy must do what it 

 can within its means to be of real service in an 

 educational way, not only to the general public, 

 but also to the public and private schools. 



One of the ways in which it is endeavoring to 

 render educational service is by installing in this 

 museum habitat groups of Californian mammals 

 and birds and other exhibits that possess real edu- 

 cational value and which show the natural re- 

 sources of the state. 



Scientific research requires money and men. 

 Habitat groups such as we are able to show you 

 to-day also cost money. 



The income of the academy is limited; it is not 

 sufficient to enable the museum to carry on the 

 scientific work which it should do and also build 

 up popular educational exhibits. 



We have been able to prepare the splendid ex- 

 hibits which we have to show you to-day because 

 of the generosity of a number of public-spirited 

 citizens of San Francisco and by curtailing some- 

 what for the time being the scientific activities of 

 the academy. Without the help of these friends 

 of the academy the valuable and attractive exhib- 

 its we have now installed would have been fewer 

 in number. Nor would there have been so many 

 if we had not drawn upon the academy's funds for 

 scientific research. 



We have planned for several additional large 

 habitat groups. We even have the animals on 

 hand for a number of them. I may mention the 

 very interesting elephant seal, a remarkable spe- 

 cies of large marine mammal now nearly extinct. 

 We have the animals for the group, but need 

 funds for installing them. We have also the ani- 

 mals for two or three deer groups, a gigantic tor- 

 toise group, and a large iguana group. We have 

 planned also for 22 groups of small California 

 mammals, a dozen small bird groups similar to 

 the very beautiful California quail group which 

 you will see in the bird hall, and an indefinite 



