ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES 



FOR THE YEAR 1 886. 



The Trustees of the American Museum of Natural History 

 present this their Eighteenth Annual Report to the Patrons, Fel- 

 lows and Members of the Museum. 



The Treasurer's account shows the receipts of the year to have 

 been $43,960.26, of which the City contributed $15,039.19. The 

 receipts include $2,426.16 given by Mrs. Robert L. Stuart towards 

 the Bird Group Collection and the purchase of a rare and unique 

 specimen of crystallized gold ; also for completing the binding of 

 the library given to the Museum by Mr. R. L. Stuart ; and $7,500 

 paid by the Trustees to make up the deficiency in maintaining 

 the Museum. 



The expenditures were $31,584.08 for maintenance, and 

 $11,109.03 for improvements and additions to the collections. 



The purchases include the Scott Collection of North American 

 birds, a valuable collection of gold specimens and other rare 

 minerals, 30 mounted specimens of American mammals, 132 

 specimens of American birds, 15 specimens of monkeys, also a 

 number of geological specimens, all supplementing and making 

 our collections more complete. 



There have been added to our Library by purchase 900 vol- 

 umes ; this includes the library of Prof. R. P. Whitfield, which 

 has filled a great vacancy. The additions to our collections by 

 donation have been very gratifying. From the Hon. H. J. 

 Jewett we have received his valuable library of travels, and from 

 the Department of Public Parks, through Dr. Wm. A. Conklin, 

 many important and valuable specimens have been received in 

 the flesh and prepared at the Museum by our taxidermist. A 

 collection of 130 European bird skins has been received from 

 Edward Hargitt, Esq., of London. Also, many other important 

 donations, which will be found in detail in the list of accessions. 



