State Museum of Natural History. 



19 



by the act of the Legislature in 1845, and the reports published 

 before and since that period as the results of the survey, have con- 

 ferred great credit upon the State of New York, both at home and 

 abroad, and the nomenclature proposed by her geologists has been 

 adopted by other States, and in the geological survey of Canada, 

 and is well known, appreciated and recognized by the scientific men 

 of Europe, and 



"Whereas, Great progress has been made since that period in 

 geological investigations, both here and abroad, and it is due to 

 science, as well as a suitable recognition of the great credit given to 

 the State of New York, that her preeminence be sustained by keeping 

 up the character and authenticity of her collections as a museum of 

 practical and scientific geology; therefore be it 



" Resolved, That the Regents of the University report to the Legis- 

 lature, at its next session, what means may be necessary, together 

 with a plan, for placing the State Cabinet of Natural History in the 

 condition required by the present state of science, to maintain it in 

 full efficiency as a museum of scientific and practical geology and 

 comparative zoology; and whether the establishment of a system of 

 free lectures in connection with the cabinet is desirable, and if so, on 

 what general plan the same should be founded." 



In reply to a circular letter, including a copy of the preceding 

 resolution, addressed to the scientific men of New York and of 

 the country generally, by the Secretary of the Board of Regents, 

 the following among other suggestions were addressed to Dr. S. 

 B. Wool worth, Secretary of the Board of Regents, under date of 

 August 30, 1865, and subsequently adopted by the Board and 

 recommended by them as the basis of a plan for reorganizing the 

 State Cabinet of Natural History : 



"Looking to the results of the geological survey of New York, the 

 geological part of the Museum should be made dominant, as in this 

 the State will derive more credit — assuming the geological forma- 

 tions of New York as a basis for arranging and parallelizing the 

 collections from all the formations of other parts of the country, and 

 at the same time giving to each one its appropriate place. This would 

 also give to the Museum a distinctive character, and render it always 

 a standard of reference and authority in geological science, while its 

 development of the economic applications of the mineral products of 

 the State will be at once and preeminently appreciated by the people. 



