New York State Mtseum. 7Q 



During the past years only a few collections have been ordered 

 to be distributed to schools, and those have been selected from 

 the drawers containing the entire amount of material of each 

 species. As a matter of course, whether selected b}' more or less 

 competent hands,, the better specimens have gone into these col- 

 lections, and the inferior have remained in the drawers. If the 

 Museum wishes to preserve the better specimens of this great 

 collection, it is quite time that some efforts be made and some 

 plan devised for selecting the better specimens sufficient to make 

 several first-class collections which might be regarded as the 

 Museum stock, and not to be distributed except to higher insti- 

 tutions where it can be known that advanced students make use 

 of the collection. The inferior material remaining on hand could 

 then be distributed into as many collections as can be made from 

 it, and these collections marked in the order of their quality 

 from one upwards; such collections could then be packed in 

 boxes and arranged in such a way, that, whenever an order 

 should be given for a collection it could at once be filled without 

 interrupting the course of work of the State Geologist or his 

 assistants, and at a great saving of time and expense. Though I 

 have recommended this course before now no action has fol- 

 lowed, and I wish to place it on record once more in connection 

 with this schedule of the nature and quantity of the collections 

 remaining in the State Hall. 



1 beg to say in conclusion that whatever other Museum work 

 may be carried on, there is nothing more important, in my belief, 

 than that Avhich I have recommended in disposing of these 

 collections. 



Moreover, if it be the intention of the Trustees that this 

 Museum should retain its character as a scientific institution, and 

 keep up its intercourse with other similar institutions of the 

 country, it will become important that exchanges of specimens be 

 carried on for the benefit of each one participating in the 

 exchange, and for the purpose of giving to students frequenting 

 the Museum an opportunity of studying material obtained 

 from a wider range of country than has been possible thus far 

 with the restrictions imposed upon acquiring collections of this 

 character. Besides this there are other important considerations 

 which should weigh with the Trustees of an institution like tliat 

 1893 10 



