FORTY-SECOND ANNUAL REPORT 



To the Trustees and Members of The American Museum of 

 Natural History, and to the Municipal Authorities of the 

 City of New York: 



The President submits herewith his report of the progress 

 of the Museum for the year 1910. A new feature of the 

 preparation of this report is that its departmental sections* 

 have been written under the President's direction by the 

 Curators and Officers in charge. 



Our gratitude should first be expressed to the old friends 

 and supporters of the American Museum, whose generous 

 gifts of the past year are acknowledged in detail in the pages 

 of this report. 



While our income from endowment has not materially 

 increased, the total gifts towards exploration and exhibition 

 exceed those of any previous year in the Museum's history. 



We have gained also new friends at home and abroad who 

 have been impressed with the spirit and purpose of the 

 Museum. Among the latter may be mentioned especially 

 three from Great Britain, Sir Ernest Shackleton, Mr. F. C. 

 Selous and Mr. Walter Winans. The contribution of the 

 Belgian Government to the Congo Expedition may also be 

 recalled. 



The addition of three new departments since 1907, 

 namely, of Living Fishes and Reptiles, of Woods and Forestry 

 and of Public Health, has made serious demands upon our 

 income, when taken in connection with the strengthened 

 personnel of several of the older departments and the general 

 advances in salaries and wages to meet the increased cost of 

 living which affects our entire force of 224 persons. Thus the 

 increased endowment afforded by Mr. Jesup's bequest, which 

 cannot by its terms be used for any item of Maintenance, 

 is offset by these increases. Expansion along this line, how- 



* Beginning on page 26. 



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