10 NINETEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE REGENTS 



The committee are happy to say that they have received answers from a 

 number of gentlemen, and among them Professor James D. Dana, of Yale 

 College; Sir William Logan and Professor T. Sterry Hunt, of Montreal; 

 Professor A. Winchell, of the University of Michigan ; Professor Oren 

 Root, of Hamilton College; Professor Alexander Agassiz, of Harvard 

 University; Dr. Franklin B. Hough, of Albany; Professor A. A. Gould, 

 of Harvard University; J. J. Thomas, of Union Springs, N. Y., and Pro- 

 fessor James Hall, of Albany. These communications exhibit much labo- 

 rious thought and careful consideration of the somewhat difficult questions 

 involved in their inquiries. The committee take great pleasure in express- 

 ing their thanks to these gentlemen for their disinterested and abl^ discus- 

 sions of the subject, and they desire especially to note the fact that gentle- 

 men not residing in this State, and connected with other institutions having 

 the same general objects in view, and who might be supposed to be in situa- 

 tions~ where a feeling of rivalry might be engendered, have contributed 

 their assistance as freely and heartily as if they were themselves responsi- 

 ble for the success of our institution. 



The undersigned think it due to the kind efforts of these gentlemen, as 

 well as to the ability and comprehensiveness of their views, that their com- 

 munications should be submitted to the Legislature. 



After a careful consideration of these different projects, they have come 

 to the conclusion that the plan submitted by Professor James Hall, in the 

 preparation of which he had the advantage of knowing all that has been 

 proposed by the other gentlemen whose communications are given, will 

 fully carry out the objects contemplated in the resolution of the Senate and 

 Assembly. Your committee, therefore, recommend that the Board make 

 answer to the resolution of the Senate and Assembly by a communication 

 of this report and. of the papers herewith submitted. 



• REUBEN E. FEJSFTON, 

 ERASTUS CORNING, 

 ALEXANDER S. JOHNSON, 

 GEORGE W. CLINTON, 

 ELIAS W. LEAVENWORTH, 

 -. Committee on the State Cabinet. 



New Haven, Sept. 12, 1865. 

 To the Board of Regents : 



Gentlemen — In reply to the inquiries respecting the establishment of a 

 school for paleontology, at Albany, I offer the following views : 



There are many (reasons why Albany is an excellent place for such a 

 school. The principal are the following : that it now contains the best 

 collection of fossils in the country, in those of Mr. Hall and the State ; 

 that these collections have already become a standard of reference for the 

 world with regard to American species ; that the position is on the border 

 of the great paleontological region of New York. 



