22 Report of the President. 



Loeal Explorations — Mr. Harrington visited the Shinne- 

 cock and Poosepatuck Reservations on Long Island and Staten 

 Island, during June and July, and at Shinnecock Hills he 

 explored an ancient village site, — a series of shell heaps. 

 Trenches were dug, and "ash pits" opened. 



Although the number of publications issued during the past 

 year is not large, much progress has been made in the prep- 

 aration of material. 



Department of Mineralogy and Conchology. — The 

 headquarters of this department have been removed to the 

 fourth floor, and a room for laboratory work and storage has 

 been provided in the basement. 



The labeling of the collection of minerals on exhibition, a 

 thorough arrangement of overflow material, now in drawers 

 under the cases, a selection of a second, very small, group of 

 duplicates, the completion of the explanatory rubrics through- 

 out the cases, and a beginning upon the exhaustive card cata- 

 logue, marks the labor of the department. 



The gem collection continues to be most popular. One 

 record is given of 1,000 visitors in a clay. During the past 

 year five magnificent crusts of amethyst have been added, 

 from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and also a large yellow sap- 

 phire, two parti-colored sapphires, an immense star sapphire, 

 and a curious archaic axe of agate, gifts of Mr. J. Pierpont 

 Morgan. Besides these a collection of very attractive series 

 of polished agates has been received. A card catalogue of the 

 gems has been completed, comprising almost 2,000 cards. 



A splendid collection of gold and silver coins from the 

 Philadelphia mint, given by Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan, has been 

 placed in the Gem Room. 



Department of Invertebrate Zoology. — We regret 

 that the capacity of the building and the limitation cf 

 our funds prevent the symmetrical development of all that 

 goes to make up a Museum of Natural History. We not 

 only have large collections that await adequate exhibition 

 space, but there are departments of natural history that thus 

 far have received but little attention. They have not been 



