THIRTIETH ANNUAL REPORT. 



To the Trustees and Members of the American Museum of Natural 

 History: 



I present herewith my annual report of the progress of the 

 Museum for the year ending December 31, 1898. 



The Budget for the year, approved at the Annual Meeting of 

 the Trustees, showed an estimated deficit in the receipts of 

 $21,346, of which $15,152 was for account of Maintenance, and 

 $6,194 for Endowment. 



Attention is directed to the details of the Treasurer's report on 

 pages 28-31. 



Additions to the Buildings. — The construction of the 

 additions to the east and west wings and of the new lecture hall 

 have steadily progressed. Some delay occurred, however, by 

 reason of the uncertainty regarding the limit of the City debt, and 

 the difficulty in securing the granite as rapidly as was required. 

 As a consequence the buildings are not in as forward a state of 

 preparation as was predicted in my report of last year ; but it is 

 now expected and hoped that the buildings will be completed 

 during the year 1899. 



Legislation. — A law was passed at the session last year 

 entitled Chapter 303 of the Laws of 1898, by which Section 3 of 

 the Act of Incorporation was amended to read as follows : — 

 " Said corporation may take and hold by gift, devise, bequest, 

 purchase, or lease, either absolutely or in trust, for any purpose 

 comprised in the objects of the corporation, any real or personal 

 estate, necessary or proper for the purposes of its incorporation." 



By its terms the Trustees are not restricted in the amount of 

 real and personal estate which they may hold for the endowment 

 of the Institution. 



At the Annual Meeting held in February last, Messrs. H. O. 

 Havemeyer and A. D. Juilliard were elected Trustees. 



