6 [Assembly, 



The building itself will, iu the end, require some material modi- 

 fications. The roof is in such a condition that it will probably 

 require to be replaced in order to make it a fit cover for so 

 important a collection. No general method of heating this build- 

 ing has ever been provided. The State officers who were in it in 

 the past, and those who are still occupying it, make use ot stoves 

 as the method of heating. This, of course, entails a great amount 

 of unnecessary labor, and is not economical nor satisfactory. Some 

 system of heating the building by steam ought to be adopted. 

 There seems to be no insuperable objection to the carrying of steam 

 from the present steam-house, which has been built for the purpose 

 of conveying heat to the Capitol. The distance is not much 

 greater to the State Hall than it is to the Capitol. There would 

 be no objection to creating as much more steam in the steam-house 

 as would be needed to properly warm the State Hall. 



Another volume on paleontology has been published since the 

 last report, iu accordance with the law passed in 1883. The sub- 

 ject is Lamellibranchiate, and is a continuation and completion of 

 the subject of the preceding volume published in 1884. A volume 

 on Bryozoans is in preparation, and will be issued shortly. The 

 immense task of preparing these successive volumes weighs heavily 

 upon Professor Hall, and the trustees have found it necessary to 

 give him as much respite from other duties and as much assistance 

 as they have found it possible to do. With these modifications in 

 the original plan of work, it is believed by the trustees that this 

 great publication, which is so honorable and creditable to the 

 State, will be finished nearly, if not entirely, in accordance with 

 the provisions of the law of 1883. 



Yery important explorations have been carried on by the museum 

 staff during the past year. Professor Smock has continued his 

 exploration of the crystalline rocks in the south-eastern portion 

 of the State. He has also done something towards collecting facts 

 and data concerning the building stone of the State. This latter 

 subject he proposes, when he has collected a sufficient amount of 

 data, to publish together as a bulletin of the museum. Mr. Beecher 

 has made use of a portion ot his time in examining a locality in 

 the Adirondack region where crystals of tourmaline has been found. 

 He has, under the direction of the local committee of the museum, 



