REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 



Albany, January^ 1873. 

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

 State of New Yorh : 



Gentlemen. — I have the honor to present herewith the following 

 report upon the condition of the State Museum of Natural History, 

 with a brief statement of the additions made to the collections, and 

 the work done in the several departments. 



The collections already arranged in the Museum are in good con- 

 dition, and I confidently expect that the rearrangement of the entire 

 mineralogical collection, already commenced, and of a portion of the 

 geological collection, will be completed within the ensuing year. 



A list of additions to each of the departments will be found 

 appended to this report. 



Additions and Donations to the Museum. 



The increase in the Zoological Department, by donation, has been 

 less than in some former years.* The continuation of the series of 

 the Mollusca of Long Island, by Messrs. Sanderson Smith and 

 Temple Prime, requires especial notice and deserves our thanks. 

 Such collections of the local fauna are of far more importance than 

 all the miscellaneous collections which can be made. This collection 

 now numbers one hundred and twenty-one species, and is arranged 

 in the west end of the hall on the third floor, in a case especially 

 devoted to the Invertehrata of the State of JSTew York. 



In the Botanical Department we have recorded ten contribu- 

 tors ; and among the species of plants thus acquired are a consider- 

 able number which are new, and a larger number which are new to 

 the State. Appended to this report will be found a list of the 

 names, with the number of species sent by each contributor. 



The special report of Mr. Peck in this department will present in 

 detail the result of his labors. The large number of species added 

 to the list shows very conclusively that we are far from possessing a 

 complete knowledge of our Flora, and offers a strong argument in 

 favor of the continuance of these investigations. 



