Njsw York State Museum. 81 



priation for the nmseuni maintenance was increased by $5,000 

 annually. Encouraged by this act I presented several papers* 

 and asked for the means of illustration and publication but they 

 have always been refused, and I have been compelled to the con 

 elusion that the Trustees of the State Museum are either indiffer- 

 ent to its scientific reputation, or that they have some special 

 reason for refusing my contributions. Under these circumstances 

 I have gradually withdrawn from presenting any papers to the 

 museum reports, and those which I had prepared for publication 

 sometime ago have been left untouched until the present year 

 when I asked and obtained from the Legislature the privilege of 

 illustrating the reports of the State Geologist. It is for no other 

 reasons than those above stated that I have felt compelled to 

 avoid any attempt at contributing to the museum publications. I 

 dare say that it has been felt by the trustees that my communi- 

 cations were of too little consequence toward maintaining the 

 museum in that degree of scientific activity recommended by 

 the Board of Kegents in 1866. It is certainly a gratification to 

 know that since the period of my taking charge of the museum 

 in 1866, we have secured the passage of a law authorizing the 

 appointment of the State Entomologist and also a recognition 

 of the State Botanist, and tlie contributions of these officers add 

 largely to the scientific publications and reputation of the State. 

 In concluding my report I have felt it necessary to make this 

 explanation, both for the scientific public and the Trustees of the 



Museum. 



Very respectfully submitted. 



JAMES HALL, 



Directoy. 



* I had prepared a Bvilletin upon the upper Silurian and Devonian Bryozoa, having personally 

 borne the expense of its prepariation nearly to completion, but on presenting the matter to the 

 secretary, in accordance with a previous request from him, it was refused publication. I had 

 begun the preparation of a Bulletin on the Pala.^ozoic Lamellibranchiata, and had published 

 ten plates in the Geologist's Report for 1881, but when I asked for means of finishing my work 

 it was refused. 



I had in preparation for many years a memoir, or monograph of the fossil Dictyospongidee, of 

 which I had published preliminary notices in the annuaJ reports. In January, 1885, I presented 

 to the Regents, at their annual meeting, the material which I had prepared, both in manuscript 

 and drawings, asking to be allowed means of publication. The matter received attention, and 

 the following resolution was passed: Resolved, That the monograph of Director Hall on 

 Dictyospongidae be published by the museum as Bulletin No. 1. 



When I asked for the means for going on with the work of this monograph it was refused. 



1893. 11 



