Rare Books in Library 113 



From its first gift of a single book, the library has steadily 

 increased until it now contains more than 100,000 volumes. Its 

 growth is due to two distinct causes : the liberal patronage of the 

 institution itself in the matter of purchase, and again the 

 generosity displayed in the many gifts which have come to it. In 

 many cases these gifts have been whole nuclear units in them- 

 selves, and represent years of scholarly collecting in their 

 specific subjects. 



The library has been fortunate, moreover, in having among its 

 friends, various patrons who have spared neither expense nor 

 effort in securing for it valuable scientific classics, and whose 

 continued interest has made possible the acquisition of choice 

 and rare titles as such volumes come upon the market. Chief 

 among such patrons are: S. P. Avery, J. P. Morgan, Anson W. 

 Hard, Cleveland H. Dodge, and Ogden Mills. During the past 

 year the Anson W. Hard fund made possible the acquisition of 

 that stupendous work of natural history and archaeology pro- 

 duced as a result of the Napoleonic occupation of Egypt: 

 Description de I'&gypte, ou recueil des observations et des 

 recherches qui ont ete faites en Egypte, pendant V expedition de 

 I'armee Francaise [1798-1801], The series had long been 

 urgently desired for comparative work with the specimens 

 secured by the Museum's own expeditions into Africa. Chief 

 among other accessions of the year are the many splendid items 

 from the Frederic Gallatin, Jr. Collection of Books on Ornithol- 

 ogy, which were purchased and presented to the library by Mr. 

 Ogden Mills. Some of the more important of these titles are : 



Catesby & Edwards Natural History of Carolina. London 

 1731-1748. 2 vols. 



Diggles, S. The Ornithology of Australia, n. d. Queens- 

 land. 



Elliott, Wm. Carolina Sports. Charleston 1846. First 

 Edition. 



Jerdon, T. C. Illustrations of Indian Ornithology. 

 Madras 1847. 



Meyer, H. L. Illustrations of British Birds and their 

 Eggs. London 1835-41. 



Nozeman & Houttuyn. Niederlandische Vogelen. Am- 

 sterdam 1770-1829. Original Edition. 



