MPOfiT. 



TO THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW-YORK; 



The Regents of the University 

 Respectfully R^^ort : 



That the extremely crowded condition of the present collection j 

 and the passage of the law for improving and enlarging the building 

 containing it, have prevented any unusual efforts for its increase. 



A fair portion of success has, however, attended the labors QJT 

 our collector, in obtaining sundry animals and birds, and thus 

 filling up the few vacancies that remain in those departments. 



Among those that have been added, are some which may be 

 deemed curiosities. A Deer, perfectly white, and which was taken 

 in Hamilton county in 1852, is of this description. A pair of young 

 panthers, but a few months old, have, on account of their rarity 

 and the approaching extirpation of the species, also been purchased. 



A few specimens have also been obtained for the other classes 

 of Natural History, principally by donations. The Regents have 

 the promise of a large collection of Fish native to this State, from 

 Professor Baird of the Smithsonian Institution ; but for reasons 

 already intimated, they have been obliged to decline its reception 

 until some time during the current year. 



Professor Dewey, of the Rochester University, has also promised 

 to present a collection of freshwater Shells, found in this State, and 

 which will form an important and much needed addition. 



The specimens obtained in the remaining divisions of the State 

 Cabinet, and in the Antiquarian Collection, will be seen by refer- 

 ring to the Appendix. 



