98 Report of the President 



The American Museum Journal completed its eighteenth 

 volume, which was particularly rich in interesting and popular 

 articles relating to natural history, anthropology and travel. 

 This periodical has proved to be one of the most entertaining 

 and instructive in the field of popular biology. 



A Handbook entitled "Fishes of the Vicinity of New York 

 City" and two Guide Leaflets — one being the third edition of 

 the "General Guide to the Exhibition Halls" and the other 

 "Insects and Disease" — have been published. There has also 

 been issued a brochure on "Free Education by The American 

 Museum of Natural History in Public Schools and Colleges," 

 which gives the history and status of Museum instruction and 

 its extension to the schools of Greater New York and vicinity. 



GENERAL SUMMARY 



In reviewing the first fifty years' work of the Museum, we 

 observe that it has broken away from many old museum tradi- 

 tions and customs and has been constantly striking out along 

 new lines in every branch of its activity. In exploration, while 

 making North America our chief concern, we have reached 

 out into South America, Africa, Asia, and, in certain branches, 

 into Europe itself. The natural history of our new colonial 

 wards, the Philippines and Porto Rico, are matters of intimate 

 concern. In South America, through a series of expeditions 

 we are exploring every part of the continent and have estab- 

 lished most cordial personal as well as scientific relations. 



This is in keeping with the world-wide extension of Amer- 

 ican interests and influence and is part of the inevitable partici- 

 pation of America in the world's affairs. Neither the American 

 Museum, nor our Government, nor our people can remain 

 isolated or bound by the confines of our own continent. Thus, 

 while more than ever an American Museum, our institution has 

 become a world Museum. In increasing degree it is bringing 

 all parts of the world within the view of the millions of people 

 within our City walls who can never travel and never explore 

 and whose only means of finding the inspiration of travel is 

 through looking into the mirror which we are endeavoring to 

 hold up to nature in all of its wonderful aspects. 



