New York State Museum, 13 



called upon to furnish. Chiefly for this reason we need the 

 great number of drawers now in use. 



I have already on former occasions recommended that the col- 

 lections be carefully examined and those needed for the Museum 

 separated from those which are strictly duplicates. These dupli- 

 cates should be made up in sets for school and college collections, 

 be recorded and catalogued; after which the sets can be readily 

 graded and given to the schools, academies, etc., according to 

 their needs. To do this work, however, would require an assistant 

 with knowledge of fossils who could work under my direction. 

 The present xlssistant Paleontologist has quite sufficient work of 

 much more importance on his hands, and cannot undertake the 

 work of distributing these collections. 



The Albany Institute, at its regular meeting on the 20th day 

 of October, 1891, passed a resolution, donating its collections of 

 minerals, fossils, shells, stuffed skins of birds and mammals, alco- 

 holic specimens and historic relics to the State Museum. These 

 collections had been previously packed and delivered at the State 

 Hall and State Museum and acknowledgment of the same had 

 been made in the report. 



In conclusion I wish to call your especial attention to the need 

 of more room in every one of the departments of the Museum 

 and trust that some means may be found of mitigating our pres- 

 ent condition. 



Very respectfully, 



Your obedient servant, 



JAMES HALL, 



Director. 



