26 Report of the President. 



Membership. — Miss Laura P. Halsted and the Very Reverend 

 Eugene A. Hoffman, D.D., were each elected a " Fellow," and 

 Messrs. James C. Baldwin, John J. Corning, George lies, Morris M. 

 Green and Mrs. Sally Morris Cory were made " Life Members." 



The following members have died during the year: Howard 

 Potter and Charles W. Cass, " Fellows," and Henry M. Taber, E. 

 Oelbermann, George Kemp, Charles H. Contoit, Charles Moran, 

 Charles Addison Miller, James Fraser and Mrs. James C. Ayer, 

 " Life Members." 



It is a sad duty to record the decease of our late friend and 

 associate Trustee, Mr. Theodore A. Havemeyer, which occurred 

 April 26, after a brief illness. Mr. Havemeyer always showed 

 great interest and zeal in promoting the growth of the Museum, 

 and the loss of his services and counsel will be deeply felt. 



Each year discloses an increase in the applications for permits 

 to make drawings and studies of the specimens. Requests are 

 also frequently made to permit photographs to be taken of objects 

 to be used in the illustration of articles for the daily press and 

 magazines. 



It is the aim and desire of the Trustees to encourage the 

 scientist, the student and the public to avail themselves of the 

 collections and the library for the study of natural history. To 

 this end the Library is always open to visitors desiring to con- 

 sult its volumes, and the curators extend a welcome to persons in 

 search of technical information regarding the determination of 

 specimens. The growth of public interest in this direction 

 becomes more marked year by year; teachers bring entire classes 

 of pupils to extend their study by the examination of the objects. 



The growth of the collections has surpassed the progress made 

 during 1896, and the year to come promises a still greater 

 advance. 



The yearly income from the invested funds of the Museum 

 amounts to less than nineteen thousand dollars per annum, a sum 

 far too small to rely upon for the increase of the collections. 

 This income is supplemented by the receipts from members, 

 and friends who subscribe for special work in the field and for 



