Report of the President 6 7 



Professor Bickmore was the founder of the Library and ever 

 enthusiastic concerning its welfare. Through this gift many 

 desirable books relating to early travel and Indian affairs have 

 been received, which during the last few years have become 

 very rare and more and more difficult to obtain. The entire 

 accession will amount to some four thousand volumes. 



During the year it has been possible for the Library, 

 through the generosity and interest of Mr. Anson W. Hard, 

 to procure some of the rare and classic works in natural 

 history which have been so long needed in our collection. 

 Among these are many interesting books, as I cones Insectorum 

 Variorum, by C. Clerck, a work that was privately printed in 

 1759-1764 as presentation copies only and has become ex- 

 tremely rare and difficult to obtain ; a set of Comptes Rendus 

 Hebdomadaires des seances et me'moires de la Societe de Biologie, 

 from the beginning in 1849 to date; a copy of Hahn & Koch, 

 Die Arachniden in sixteen volumes, 1 831-1848, long out of print 

 and important; and a copy of Herrich-Schaffer, Systematische 

 Bearbeitung der Schmetterlinge von Europa 1 843-1 861, a set that 

 is only infrequently offered for sale. The acknowledgments 

 of the Library, as well as of those who now find it possible to 

 consult these classic works, are hereby extended to the donor. 

 Besides the gifts heretofore mentioned there are many 

 others of importance from both institutions and individuals, 

 to whom the Library is greatly indebted. Mr. Cleveland H. 

 Dodge has continued to furnish the publications of The Car- 

 negie Institution, and has presented many volumes relating to 

 ichthyology. 



A new room corresponding in size to the present large 

 stack-room has been completed and is now awaiting the instal- 

 lation of a modern two-story steel stack. This addition to 

 the equipment will be one of great importance both in serving 

 the convenience of our patrons and in relieving the present 

 overcrowded condition of the shelves. As soon as the new 

 stack can be occupied it is proposed to remove the anthropo- 

 logical works from their present quarters and shelve them in 

 alcoves adjoining the subjects of travel and history with which 

 they are so intimately related. With the installation of a 

 more competent lighting system this arrangement will give a 



