REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 



Albany, January, 1878. 



To the Honorable the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New 

 York: 



Gentlemen — I have the honor to communicate herewith the Annual Report 

 upon the State Museum of Natural History, embracing a statement of the condi- 

 tions of the collections in the several departments ; the additions made thereto ; 

 and the work done in the institution and in field collections during the past year ; 

 together with special communications upon subjects under investigation by the 

 persons connected with the Museum. 



In every department the collections of the Museum are • in good order and 

 condition, and every available space is filled ; and in many instances so crowded 

 as to interfere with the proper exhibition of the specimens. For the geological 

 and palseontological collections alone, we need an additional area equal to 

 another floor of the present building. Since, therefore, the collections made 

 and studied cannot be placed on exhibition with the present accommodations, it 

 should be remembered that it becomes quite impossible to present to the Board , 

 of Regents, or to the public, the evidences of work accomplished. 



The changes authorized to be made upon the upper floor of the Museum have 

 afforded space for the arrangement of the additions to the zoological collections 

 mentioned in my report of last year; and the skins of Walrus and young, the 

 Giraffe, the Rhinoceras and skeleton ; the latter having been placed in position 

 within a few months past. 



These changes, however, do not leave sufficient space for the exhibition of 

 the ethnological and historical collections, a considerable part of which remain 

 packed, or laid in drawers. 



The present disposition of these collections will be given under the proper 

 head. 



Distribution of Duplicate Fossils and Minerals. 



The occupation of the Agricultural Hall by the census department, in 1876, 

 interrupted the work then in progress, and has since prevented anything from 

 being done in the actual arrangement for distribution of the duplicate collec- 

 tions ; but the preparatory labor of cleaning, ticketing and recording specimens, 

 has been constantly going on in another building appropriated for that purpose ; 

 and these collections will be available whenever time and opportunity shall be 

 offered for their final disposition. 



Of the collections previously prepared by the Museum for distribution to the 

 institutions of our State, but one has been sent out during the past year. A 

 request for a collection made by the Alfred University, of Alfred, N. Y., accom- 

 panied by the statement that they were prepared to receive it, having been 

 approved by the Board of Regents, there was forwarded to that University, in 

 January last, a collection of over five hundred labeled and catalogued fossils 

 and minerals. 



There are still eight arranged and labeled collections remaining in the 

 Museum, which properly should be distributed as soon as they can be placed in 



