REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR igi2 I 5 



river, a few casefuls of birds and fishes in connection with one 

 administrative department, and perchance of seeds and soils 

 with another. Museums require today a high grade of technical 

 service for the proper conservation of these materials. Such 

 minor side efforts soon degenerate from lack of proper and 

 intelligent care and involve an expenditure of public money for 

 no good purpose. 



Notwithstanding the support Avhich has long been given to the 

 work of the State Museum, its light has been too much under 

 a bushel, it has had too much of the closet, has been too esoteric 

 perhaps in its indifference to public appreciation. Its influence 

 should reach to all the people. Yet it is well to. record here the 

 fact that a long and distinguished body of citizens have person- 

 ally given their indorsement and support to its work ; as witness 

 the five hundred meml)ers of the New York State Museum 

 Association, men of influence and distinction in all sections of 

 the State. 



Ill 



CONDITION OF THE SCIENTIFIC COLLECTIONS 



During the fiscal year some part of the usual field operations 

 of the staff of the Science Division has been curtailed in order 

 to meet the additional expense thrust upon the division by the 

 operations preliminary to removal of the scientific materials to 

 their new quarters. At the date of this report actual removal 

 has not commenced but lies in the immediate future and the 

 actual condition of the collections is now such that their trans- 

 portation can be effected without delay or damage. Further than 

 this, it has seemed wise to utilize the opportunity and some 

 part of the available financial resources of the Museum to pre- 

 pare and complete special objects and groups of objects of con- 

 spicuous worth and interest for prompt and ready display. These 

 preliminary preparations have not been inexpensive. They have 

 involved the dismembering and packing of large skeletons such 

 as the whale, the mastodon, the elephant, the Irish elk and the entire 

 series of lesser skeletons which could not be transported in 

 their mounted condition. They have further involved the prep- 

 aration of series of large models in plaster of especially note- 

 worthy objects; and very particular packing of the State's ex- 

 tensive collection of birds and so on through the more delicate 

 materials pertaining to the Museum. Provision has been made by 



