REPORT. ^ oxrt 



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To the Legislature of the State of New York : 



The Regents of the University, as Trustees of the State Museum of 

 Natural History, submit, as required by law, their thirty-eighth annual 

 report. 



With respect to the operations of the Museum, and the measures taken 

 for its increase, the Trustees refer to the report of the Director, which is 

 herewith transmitted. In like manner the reports which are appended 

 of the State Entomologist and State Botanist will give in detail the im- 

 portant additions made to the collections in their respective departments, 

 and the work carried forward by them in the scientific investigation of 

 subjects committed to them. By the liberality of the Legislature small 

 appropriations have been made for the expenses of both the Entomolo- 

 gist and Botanist in the prosecution of their researches, and the collec- 

 tion and preservation of specimens for the Museum. This will enable 

 these officers to conduct their departments with greater efficiency than 

 before. 



In connection with the State exhibit at the New Orleans Exposition, 

 the Director of the Museum prepared an interesting collection of mate- 

 rial to be sent thither. The limited time allowed for the purpose, and 

 the want of means to collect and prepare what would have been desira- 

 ble, made the collection less complete than might have been wished. 

 It contains, however, some things of unique value and interest, for a 

 full account of which the Trustees refer to the report of the Director. 



The Trustees are gratified to be able to announce to the Legislature 

 that the several reports of the State Museum, whose publication for 

 various causes has been delayed, some of them for several years, have 

 all been printed and issued during the past year. This list includes the 

 thirty-third, which was presented to the Legislature in 1880, down to 

 and including the thirty-seventh, which was presented in 1884 ; in all, 

 five reports. The Trustees are glad to feel assured that under the new 

 law passed in 1883, which provides for the scientific printing of the 

 Museum, to be done under the direct care of the Museum staff, will pre- 

 vent a recurrence of such an accumulation of material. Under this law 

 the scientific papers prepared by the Museum staff will be issued when- 

 ever ready as Museum bulletins. In all cases of scientific publications 



