EEPOET OF THE DIBECTOE. 



Albany, N. Y., November 21, 1887. 



To the Honorable the Board of Regents of the University of the 

 State of Neio York : 



Gentlemen. — I liave the liouor to submit herewith the annual 

 report (being the forty-first in consecutive order) upon the State 

 Museum of Natural History, and the condition of its collections 

 in the several departments so far as the same has come under my 

 knowledge or direction. 



The report of last year is not yet delivered from the State 

 printer, and, therefore, not accessible for reference for an account 

 of the work accomplished in the State Museum and of the additions 

 to the collections in the several departments thereof during the 

 year 1886. 



Owing to the requirements for the completion of the volumes 

 upon the Palseontology of the State within a specified time, the 

 Director is precluded from the preparation and presentation of 

 any scientific papers in connection with the State Museum report, 

 as has been his custom till within the past few years. There are 

 no special scientific papers in the hands of the Director to be 

 communicated with this report. The report of the State Botanist, 

 the State Entomologist, and the State Geologist, will form a part 

 of the entire communication to the Board of Regents. 



The special data regarding the Museum work and arrangement, 

 and the additions thereto, have been furnished by Prof. J. C. Smock, 

 Assistant-in-charge, and Mr. C E. Beecher, in charge of the Palse- 

 ontological department of the Museum. 



Very extensive and important changes in the arrangement and 

 exhibition of some of the collections of the Museum have been 

 made necessary during the year to accommodate the additions 

 through purchases and donations. The most important of these 

 changes has been made in appropriating the former offices of the 

 Curator upon the first floor of the building jto the arrangement of 



