24 The American Museum of Natural History 



other educational institutions, the services of a colorist are required 

 during most of the year. Mrs. Katherine S. Smith, the Museum 

 colorist, colored during 1917 stereopticon slides as indicated below: 



For Loan Series and Museum Lectures 1,808 



For Sale and Exchange 509 



Total number of Slides colored in 1917 2,317 



Circulating collections of natural history specimens have been 



lent to the public schools of greater New York, as has been done 



since 1904. These collections include practically everything called 



for in the course of study, and there are 



circulating collec- thousands of boys and girls in the schools 



tions of natural of New York City who would have no 



history specimens other opportunity to see and to handle 



such natural history objects. In this 



branch of the work of the Department, more pupils are reached 



than in any other. 



All specimens in the circulating collections, except those of in- 

 sects, have been prepared so that they can be removed from the cases 

 and actually handled by the pupils. That the privilege of touching 

 the specimen by the pupil adds to its teaching value, is practically 

 the unanimous opinion of the teachers. On the other hand, the neces- 

 sary wear and tear resulting from the handling incur an added expense 

 to the Museum in keeping certain collections, such as mounted birds, 

 in good condition. In the case of birds, however, when the number 

 of years that many of the specimens have been in circulation and the 

 number of times that they have been handled by the pupils have been 

 considered, the results are not discouraging. But on account of in- 

 creasingly stringent laws regulating the collecting of native birds, the 

 department may be forced to put its loan collections under glass, 

 and plans are being completed for trying this type of collection 

 along with our original cases. 



During 1917, the number of collections was 712, the number of 

 schools supplied was 446, and the number of pupils who studied the 

 collections was 1,075,076 — a pupil being counted once for each case 

 of specimens studied in regular classroom work. 



The schools using the circulating collections during 1917 are 

 classified as follows (see map facing page 74). 



Elementary Schools in Manhattan __ 136 



Elementary Schools in Brooklyn 128 



Elementary Schools in Bronx 37 



Elementary Schools in Queens 38 



Elementary Schools in Richmond 21 



