BUFFALO SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCES 221 



metallic economic minerals, including talc, corundum, kaolin, mica, 

 monazite, semi-precious stones, and native gold. 



History. 7000 objects illustrating the history of North Carolina, 

 including paintings, photographs, war relics, books, utensils, vehicles, 

 manuscripts, letters, autographs, etc. This is said to be the largest 

 state collection in the country. 



Paleontology. Small collections of invertebrate and verte- 

 brate fossils. 



Zoology. Insects, on exhibition, 7000; Other invertebrates, on 

 exhibition, 300, in storage, 2oo±; Fishes, on exhibition, 131, in storage, 

 200+ ; Batrachians, on exhibition, 68, in storage, 20o± ; Reptiles, on 

 exhibition, 150, in storage, 2oo±; Birds, on exhibition, 364, in storage, 

 i5oo±; Mammals, on exhibition, 70, in storage, 3oo±. There are 

 also collections of native furs; bird eggs; and skulls of birds, mammals, 

 and reptiles. There are 31 small and 3 large groups of animals exhibi- 

 ted in natural surroundings, including the opossum, snowy owl, 

 double-crested cormorant, loon, bob-white, ducks, squirrels, anhinga, 

 eagles, deer, mink, etc. 



Historical Sketch. The nucleus of the present museum is the 

 collection of minerals and fossils accumulated by the state geologist, 

 whose office was established in 1850. Since 1879 the museum has been 

 a division of the state department of agriculture. It at first occupied 

 one small room over a store; from 1881 to 1894 it occupied two rooms 

 covering about 3000 square feet of floor space in the present building; in 

 1895 two more rooms were added, bringing the floor space up to a 

 total of less than 7000 square feet. Since 1895 the floor space has 

 increased fourfold and the collections more than tenfold under the 

 administration of the present curator. The hall of history was estab- 

 lished in 1902 by the present director of that department. 



Financial Support. By the state department of agriculture; 

 additions and repairs to the building are charged against the general 

 fund of the department; new cases and new material are frequently 

 acquired indirectly through participation in various expositions. It is 

 therefore impossible to give financial statistics of value for comparison 

 with other institutions. 



Building. The museum occupies 22,626 square feet of floor 

 space for exhibition, and 4200 for offices, workrooms, and storage in 

 the agricultural building. 



Administration. By a curator, responsible directly to the com- 

 missioner of agriculture on all matters except finances, which are 

 passed upon by the board of agriculture. 



