REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I9O4 



7 



municating therewith replies to their circular letter from various 

 scientific men of eminence. The recommendations in this report 

 became the first steps toward an improved condition and a recog- 

 nition of the necessity for regarding the museum as the seat of 

 scientific collections which were not to remain stationary but to 

 be increased and elaborated in every department. Action upon 

 the report of the Regents was not formally taken by the Legisla- 

 ture until 1870 when a law was passed organizing the Cabinet as 

 the " State Museum of Natural History " and appropriating 

 $10,000 annually to provide for the salary of the director and his 

 assistants and for the increase and preservation of the collec- 

 tions; at this time also the additional sum of $1500 was annually 

 appropriated for the salary of a botanist. 



The work in the paleontologic and agricultural departments, 

 continued from the old Natural History Survey was, as just 

 observed, carried on independently of the State Cabinet, though 

 keeping the same rooms therewith in the old State Hall until 

 1845. The constantly widening scope and importance of the 

 work in paleontology threw upon Professor Hall the necessity 

 of finding quarters for the extensive acquisitions in this depart- 

 ment, and he provided two buildings at his own cost for the dis- 

 position of the immense collections brought together by him 

 and for the accommodation of his growing staff of assistants. 



The labors of Dr Asa Fitch as entomologist to the State Agri- 

 cultural Society closed in 1870. The State Agricultural Society 

 was the direct outcome of the Agricultural Department of the 

 original Natural History Survey. In 1874 Joseph A. Lintner, then 

 an assistant in the museum, was placed in charge of the entomologic 

 work and he was formally appointed State Entomologist by the 

 Governor in 1880. 



In 1883, by legislative enactment, the work of the State Mu- 

 seum of Natural History, of the State Geologist and Paleon- 

 tologist, of the State Botanist and of the State Entomologist was 

 brought together under the charge of the Regents of the University, 

 each becoming a department of the Museum. Under this provision, 

 constituting chapter 355, laws of 1883, a scientific staff was cre- 

 ated subject to appointment by the trustees to consist of a di- 

 rector " who may also be State Geologist " and " of three assist- 

 ants, together with such special assistants as may be necessary, 

 whose compensation shall be fixed from time to time by the 

 said trustees, together with the State Geologist, State Entomolo- 



