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i-S r y r 7. 



The Trustees of the American Museum of Natural 

 History have the pleasure of presenting this, their 

 Ninth Annual B-eport, to the Patrons, Fellows and 

 Members of the Museum. 



In 1870, after an Act of Incorporation had been 

 granted by the Legislature, and the Elliot, Maximillian 

 and Verreaux collections had been secured, an agree- 

 ment was made with the Department of Public Parks, 

 that these attractive specimens should be temporarily 

 exhibited in the Arsenal building, in the Central Park, 

 while the City was erecting a suitable edifice, absolutely 

 fireproof, and part of a general plan to be completed, by 

 the addition from time to time of similar sections, as 

 the increasing collections of the Museum might require 

 more space for public exhibition. This agreement 

 has been fully carried out. In accordance with 

 an Act of the Legislature, passed in 1870, the De- 

 partment offered the Trustees that portion of the 

 Central Park formerly known as Manhattan Square, 

 as a location. This was accepted, and a build- 

 ing has been erected from plans prepared by the 

 Architects of the Department, and approved by a 

 Committee of our Board, the cases and interior ar- 

 rangements haviug been planned, principally, from 

 suggestions by our Superintendent. 



Last year the Legislature passed an Act authorizing 

 and directing the Department to make and enter 



