4 



COMPAEATIVE ZOOLOGY. [Mar. 



[A.] 



REPOET OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE TRUSTEES 



ON THE 



MUSEUM OF COMPAEATIVE ZOOLOGY, 

 For the Year 1874. 



It has been found necessary, notwithstanding the generous 

 response of the friends of the Museum to the Agassiz Memo- 

 rial Fund, to curtail, for the present, very materially, the 

 operations of the Museum. It was with great regret that the 

 Curator found himself compelled, by circumstances beyond 

 his control, to dispense with the services of many valuable 

 assistants. The amount of work accomplished is, of course, 

 lessened in comparison, and the field of activity considerably 

 diminished, as will be seen by the accompanying special 

 reports of the assistants in charge of the different departments. 

 The volunteer work accomplished has been, as formerly, very 

 great, and the Museum is deeply indebted to Mr. L. F. 

 Pourtales, to Baron Osten-Sacken, and to Thomas G. 

 Gary for the supervisions they have taken of their depart- 

 ments. Mr. Pourtales having been appointed by the Fac- 

 ulty of the Museum keeper of the collections, it is mainly due 

 to him and to the Superintendent, Mr. Gary, that the executive 

 details of the Museum have been carried on. Baron Osten- 

 Sacken, to vrhom the Museum owes the accession of an inval- 

 uable collection of diptera, has very generously increased the 

 scientific value of this collection by spending the greater part 

 of one year in identifying the materials already in the Museum 

 collection. This collection of diptera will be hereafter still 

 more valuable, as it will eventually include the whole collec- 



