23 



The work of preparing the specimens for shipment was at once 

 begun, and nearly all the selection from the Verreaux collection, 

 and the specimens purchased from M. Vedray, have already ar- 

 rived, and are now safely stored in the Arsenal Building on Cen- 

 tral Park. 



We were fortunate in enlisting the services of Mr. Edward E. 

 Andrews, of the firm of Jas. "W. Tucker & Co., at Paris, who 

 volunteered to give his personal attention to any business con- 

 nected with the Museum without charge. 



The following resume of the collections purchased by the Mu- 

 seum may be interesting to the Board of Trustees, namely : 9,500 

 birds, 870 mounted mammals, 2,000 fishes and reptiles, and one 

 of the most interesting collections in Europe, consisting of over 

 400 mounted skeletons of mammals, birds, reptiles and fishes. 

 These purchases have been made from our fund, which does not 

 exceed $45,000 currency. 



The presence of Mr. Elliot in Europe,- and the personal interest 

 he feels in the success of the Museum, are of the greatest import- 

 ance to us, and he can render the Museum most valuable service 

 in making separate purchases of such specimens as would greatly 

 increase the importance of our collection. "We have now reached 

 a point when it would be a questionable policy to purchase any 

 large collection of mammals or birds entire, as a great portion of 

 such a purchase would only furnish us with duplicates. On the 

 other hand, judicious investments can be constantly made in in- 

 creasing our species and specimens, and it would be a wise de- 

 cision to authorize Mr. Elliot to make selections from time to 

 time for the Society, if our exchequer would warrant it. As an 

 illustration, the American bird, now extinct, called the "Great 

 Auk," could be purchased at this time from a private collection 

 in London. It is the only specimen known for sale, and after it 

 has gone into a public collection, it may be years before another 

 specimen can be procured at any price. The same will apply to 

 various other animals we could have procured, namely, a fine 

 dromedary, and an Australian buffalo • but our instructions were 

 confined to the purchase of specific collections and we did not 

 feel warranted in buying others. 



The present condition of the Museum, with the acquisition of 

 so large a property, may well be regarded by the public with 



