4 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES [Pkoc. 4th Ser. 



throughout the year; and I take this occasion of again ex- 

 pressing the Academy's appreciation of the kindness of these 

 donors in doing their share toward enlarging the Academy's 

 field of usefulness. The Academy is above all an educational 

 institution. Through its collection of scientific material, 

 through the work of its curators, and through the museum ex- 

 hibits which it maintained before the fire, and which it will 

 re-establish as soon as proper space is provided in the new 

 building, it aims to disseminate knowledge of the world in 

 which we live, and to provide material that would otherwise 

 be beyond the reach of the individual student. That such 

 material flows to the Academy from many sources is an evi- 

 dence that this fact is appreciated. 



During the year a bequest of books and pamphlets was 

 made to the Academy by Dr. William McMichael Wood- 

 worth, formerly of California, but in recent years a resident 

 of Cambridge, Mass. This bequest included 235 bound vol- 

 umes and over 2000 unbound volumes and pamphlets. 



ACTIVITIES 



During the year which has just drawn to a close the Acad- 

 emy has been as active as circumstances would permit, both in 

 the continuation of research work in various departments, 

 and in the preparation of material for the museum, the build- 

 ing for which — at least so much of it as will be required for 

 immediate needs — we may hope to see completed in Golden 

 Gate Park within this year. 



The activities of the Academy along scientific lines will be 

 set forth in detail by the Curators of the various departments. 

 While the Academy's effective work is perhaps best evidenced 

 by the Academy's publications, much has been accomplished 

 which is not found nor referred to in the published material, 

 and which will bear brief notice here. 



The Curators and their assistants have worked faithfully 

 in the collection of new material, in the classification and 

 arrangement of the material on hand, and in the publication 

 of the results of the work done. 



