4 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



many years. Mr. Scudder's gift was acknowledged by the Faculty 

 of the Museum at a meeting held July 9. 



The large and valuable Bryant collection of birds which has been 

 on deposit in the Museum has been formally and unconditionally 

 presented by Mr. Henry Bryant Bigelow (see [D], page 34). 

 The importance of this acquisition to our ornithological collec- 

 tions is recognized in Mr. Brewster's report. 



From Mr. Thomas Barbour we have received an extensive and 

 important collection of alcoholic reptiles and batrachians, the 

 private collection of the donor. This gift is of especial value as it 

 tills many gaps in our series. The Museum is also indebted to 

 Mr. Barbour in many other ways. It is a pleasure to note here 

 the increasing interest taken in the Museum by those students 

 of Harvard University attending courses in the building, as shown 

 by their gifts and additions to its collections. 



From the estate of John Bellows, Esq., of Gloucester, Eng- 

 land, has been received a series of Devonian and Carboniferous 

 corals bequeathed by him to the Museum. This collection con- 

 sists of upwards of one hundred and fifty lots of polished sections 

 showing structural details, many of them of extreme beauty. 



A valuable series of palaeozoic fishes obtained from various 

 sources in Europe by Dr. Eastman has been received from Mr. 

 Agassiz. This accession supplements the extensive collections of 

 fossil fishes in the Museum. For comparison in his studies of 

 the elevated reefs and limestones of the Pacific Islands there has 

 been received through Mr. Agassiz from the Coral-Reef Committee 

 of the Royal Society a series of samples of the core from the deep 

 boring made bv Professor David on the atoll of Funafuti (see 

 [E], page 34). 



The reports of the different departments show minor gifts and 

 accessions from many sources. 



Owing to many petty acts of vandalism perpetrated by the law- 

 less element of the ever-increasing number of public visitors, 

 the Museum Committee has employed a uniformed watchman 

 to patrol the exhibition rooms during the hours when the Museum 

 is open to the public. The salutary effect of this is felt through- 

 out the different sections of the University Museum. 



By the appointment of Mr. George Nelson as Preparator, the 

 Museum has realized a great need and secured a competent and 

 zealous helper. 



