47 



for New York has by far excelled all her sister states, in the 

 liberal amounts she has continuously appropriated for her geo- 

 logical survey, and the importance of this scientific work is 

 recognized by the whole world, in adopting the nomenclature 

 her geologists have proposed. 



Our great upper hall is nearly filled with the types and 

 choice specimens of this one collection. 



Two-thirds of the sum necessary for the Museum to pos- 

 sess this property is already subscribed. 



Almost daily, some rare specimens, not previously in the 

 Museum, are brought to the building, until our collections not 

 only fill this great edifice, but also the Arsenal, and every year 

 the additions have been steadily increasing, until even at our 

 present rate of growth, specimens would be accumulated suf- 

 ficient to fill three buildings like this, before they could be com- 

 pleted, if begun this day. 



The course pursued by the Museum in securing the typical 

 collection of Prof. Hall, and placing it here where it will ever 

 be safe from all possibility of injury by fire and accessible to 

 all, indicates our wishes to aid original investigators in science, 

 and this purpose is further shown by the suite of rooms in 

 the Mansard story prepared for those whose labors will not 

 only help to develop the great natural resources of our own 

 land, but will add to the present knowledge of the most 

 learned in all parts of the world. 



Our desire is to aid in the creation, even more than in the 

 diffusion of knowledgev 



The structure which we here dedicate, is one of the largest 

 buildings devoted solely to Natural History, yet completed in 

 any land ; but it forms only a small fraction of the whole 

 great plan, and we cordially invite the generous co-operation 

 of all our citizens, being encouraged to hope for the full real- 

 ization of our plans, by the presence of this distinguished as- 

 sembly — the Commissioners of the Park, and his honor the 

 Mayor, representing the City — by a communication from his 

 Excellency the Governor representing the State, and by the 

 presence of the President of the United States, in testimony 

 of the interest taken by the whole nation in our efforts to 

 promote the public good. 



