REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 



Albany, December 29, 1880. 



To the Hon. the Board of Regents of the University of the State of 

 Nezo York: 



Gentlemen — I beg leave to communicate herewith the annual report 

 upon the State Museum of Natural History, with some general account 

 of the collections in the several departments the work done in the 

 Museum, and in the field; and also a list of papers which accompa- 

 nied the thirty-second and thirty-third reports in 1879 and 1880 and 

 not yet published for the use of the Eegents or for the Museum; the 

 thirty-second report only, having been printed among the State docu- 

 ments. I present also a statement concerning the distribution of 

 duplicate collections of fossils and minerals since 1866, which may be of 

 use in future reference. The usual lists of donations and other addi- 

 tions to the collections and library are appended, together with special 

 communications. 



In regard to the collections generally, it may be said that these are all 

 in comparatively good condition, and as well arranged as our facilities 

 will permit. The need of room is more severely felt year by year, and 

 we are working under great disadvantages, both for want of proper 

 exhibition rooms and for want of suitable working rooms to carry on 

 the preparatory work of the Museum. At the present time almost all 

 the preparatory work upon the collections, especially those of Geology 

 and Pala3ontology, is done in buildings outside of the State Mu- 

 seum. This necessity of carrying on the work in two places, dis- 

 tant from each other, imposes much more labor upon the Director, 

 while the results are far less complete and satisfactory than if all the 

 preparatory work could be done in the same building under constant 

 supervision, and the collections at once properly placed. 



In the two preceding reports, and in a special communication upon 

 the subject, your attention was called to the neglected Zoological collec- 

 tions and especially that of the Ornithological department. Nothing 

 has yet been done in this direction ; but I hope to secure the appoint- 

 ment of an assistant who will devote his time to the advantage of the 

 Zoological collections of the Museum. 



The additions to the Museum collections, during the year 1880, will 

 be found recorded in detail in the lists appended. 



To the Botanical department there have been seventeen contributors 

 of an aggregate of sixty-five species. 



To the Zoological collection there have been added ten species, some 

 of them in numerous individuals, from ten contributors; and two 



