1 6 Report of the President 



lectures and opportunities for special study attracted 49,872; 

 while the circulating collections, which are sent out daily from 

 our doors, reached 1,275,890 school children, the largest num- 

 ber yet recorded. This system of circulating collections has 

 been extended to some of the schools of New Jersey. It 

 is also interesting to note that the colleges and universities of 

 the country are making increasing use of our exhibition halls 

 for purposes of instruction, professors and students from the 

 colleges of New England and the Middle States making special 

 journeys to the Museum for this purpose. 



The Members of the Museum now include residents in 

 many portions of the United States as well as several foreign 

 countries. During the past year there has been an increase 

 of nearly one-third in our membership, 757 new names having 

 been enrolled. The contributions of Members have added 

 $6,630 (fees of Annual and Sustaining Members) to our cur- 

 rent income, and $12,100 (fees of Life Members, Fellows and 

 Patrons) to our Endowment Fund. The Trustees acknowledge 

 this practical interest of the public, which is also expressed by 

 a very large number of contributions and gifts acknowledged 

 in this Report under the heading " Special Funds," pages 102 

 to 117, and " List of Accessions," pages 118 to 152. 



EXPLORATION 



Since 1881 the American Museum has developed a policy 

 of exploration rather than of purchase for the acquisition of 

 collections. Although large purchases are still made from 

 time to time, exploration is now the chief means of enriching 

 the exhibition halls of the Museum. While specimens for 

 exhibition are the chief aim of the explorer, he brings back a 

 large amount of information regarding the country visited, as 

 well as photographs, drawings or paintings, which are abso- 

 lutely essential both for publication and as accessories to 

 exhibition. The field photographs thus acquired now number 

 over 8,000, and are in constant use in lectures and publications 

 all over the country. In all, thirty-five parties were oper- 

 ating in the field during the year 191 2; every continent on the 

 globe, except Australia, has been visited, and remarkable suc- 

 cess has crowned the efforts of the leaders, who have not only 



