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present deficiencies, several prominent types of mammals, for ex- 

 ample, being wholly unrepresented. It is consequently desirable 

 that means be provided soon to supply the much needed addi- 

 tions. There are also some important gaps in the series of birds, 

 which should be filled as promptly as possible. 



" The foregoing remarks relate exclusively to the exhibition 

 collections. But a great natural history museum has a two-fold 

 purpose to subserve: the instruction of the public, and the educa- 

 cation of students who desire a more intimate acquaintance with 

 specimens than can be acquired by viewing them as displayed in 

 the cases of the exhibition halls. In respect to the first, so far as 

 the present department is concerned, few public museums are 

 better equipped; nor has the second purpose been overlooked 

 by the management of the Museum, provision having been already 

 made for a study collection for the use of students and specialists. 

 There is now a good nucleus for a study collection of birds, but 

 it needs supplementing to a large extent in order to bring this 

 very important educational feature of the department to a proper 

 standard of efficiency, or to place it on a level with the exhibition 

 collections. The expenditure of a few thousand dollars on the 

 study collection of birds would suffice to make this Museum an 

 authority second to none on all that relates to North American 

 ornithology. I speak of North American birds particularly in 

 this connection, believing it sound policy to develop our resources 

 and usefulness in certain special lines rather than to diffuse our 

 energies over the general field, with the necessary result of ob- 

 taining only mediocrity instead of distinguishing excellence in a 

 more limited range. And certainly our own native animals are 

 deserving of first attention. 



" A study collection of North American mammals is equally 

 desirable, and even more important, from the fact that such a 

 collection is more difficult to acquire, and hence would prove 

 correspondingly more useful. At present, however, it cannot be 

 said that we have ever a nucleus for such a collection. In view 

 of the interest in all educational projects, and the liberality so 

 characteristic of many of the wealthy citizens of this city, it would 

 seem that the mere mention of these needs should go far toward 

 supplying the remedy. 



" Another serious and even imperative want is the need of more 

 space for the proper display of the objects already in the exhibi- 

 tion cases, which is already inadequate, and must become more so 

 from year to year, with the natural growth of the collections, till 

 additional room is secured by an extension of the Museum build- 

 ing. 



" Mammals. — Much time has been devoted to work on the col- 

 lection of mammals. Many of the cases in the lower hall con- 

 taining the mammals were found to be very much crowded, and 



