on the State Cabinet of Natural History. 7 



Cabinet. At the present time a general index to the reports, includ- 

 ing the Twentieth Report, is in course of preparation, and will 

 probably be completed in time to communicate with the present 

 Annual Report to the Legislature. 



Mr. Peck, who is in charge of the Botanical Department, will 

 communicate the results of his investigations during the past year. 



I am unprepared at the present time to communicate the results of 

 any scientific investigations on my own part. The duties of the 

 museum (much of the time being necessarily spent in details of no 

 scientific value) have been so onerous during the past two years and 

 a half as to leave very little time for original investigations. I need 

 not remind you that no Museum of Natural History can maintain its 

 proper standing, in the opinion of the scientific public, without pub- 

 lishing the results of investigations in some of its departments; and, 

 without this, it will soon cease to be of interest to scientific men, or 

 to attract the attention of the more intelligent public. 



I feel that I need offer no further argument to secure the sanction 

 and cooperation of the Board of Regents in some plan which will 

 secure them an annuul report, showing progress in scientific investi- 

 gations in several of the departments of the museum. 



In conclusion, I would beg leave to ask the Regents, or a commit- 

 tee of the Board, to examine the present condition of the State 

 Museum, in its several departments, with a view both to a knowledge 

 of the present arrangement, of the materials and condition, and of 

 learning from their own observations its necessities. 

 I have the honor to be very respectfully 



Your obedient servant, 



JAMES HALL. 



