FOREWORD 



THIS outline of the History of the Museum has been prepared for 

 the benefit of the Trustees, Members and Scientific Staff. 

 The present edition is abbreviated from a full report pre- 

 sented to the Trustees February 14, 1910, and constituting the 

 Trustees' Edition. 



The first manuscript History of the Museum was that written at the 

 request of the late President Morris K. Jesup by Mr. L. P. Gratacap. It 

 is still unpublished, but has yielded very valuable information. 



The materials for the present History have been assembled chiefly by 

 Assistant Secretary George H. Sherwood and the Curators of the various 

 Departments, from the Minutes of the Meetings of Trustees and Exec- 

 utive Committee, the Annual Reports of the Presidents, and from the 

 records of the several Departments. The text of the historical sections 

 has been prepared largely under the direction of Mr. Sherwood by Miss 

 Else* Grant Symonds. The editing and proof-reading of the manu- 

 script have been done chiefly by Curator Edmund Otis Hovey. 



One of the chief objects of the History is to record our grateful ac- 

 knowledgments to the many scientific men and to the many patrons of 

 science as well as to the three past Presidents and their supporting Trus- 

 tees, who have guided the affairs of this great institution. 



Doubtless there still remain many omissions despite the best efforts 

 at accuracy. The names and special services of some of our many 

 friends may have been unintentionally passed by or unrecorded. It is 

 hoped to remedy such omissions as are discovered in a third and fuller 

 edition of this History. Suggestions and corrections should therefore 

 be addressed to the Assistant Secretary at the Museum. 



Henry Fairfield Osborn, 

 July 1, 1911. President. 



