THE SCIEXCE DEPARTMEXT. 



3 



and cases amounted to only thirty in number, less than half the 

 present installation. 



Among additions for the year just closed special mention should 

 be made of two striking groups — one of American flamingoes given 

 by Mr. Nathan D. Bill and another of the red fox from Mr. Gurdon 

 Bill. Mr. Nathan Bill also presented to the museum a fine example 

 of petrifaction from the petrified forest of Arizona, and two cases for 

 the collection of Indian baskets given by him last year. From Mr. 

 A. B. Wallace two new cases have been received for the Robert M. 

 Wallace collection of birds. Mr. Robert O. Morris has increased the 

 collection of local mammals by a number of valuable specimens. An 

 interesting series of historical and Indian relics has been secured from 

 the Henry Morris estate, and the botanical department has been 

 enriched by gifts from Mr. George S. Lewis and Mr. Luman Andrews. 



The appendix contains a detailed list of donors and gifts to the 

 various departments. 



Special Exhibits. 



A new feature of this work has been the display of the winter 

 forms of plants. In all about one hundred specimens were displayed 

 and gave visitors an insight into the beauty that is shown in even 

 the dried and withered foliage and blossom. Popular interest con- 

 tinues to be attracted by the display of spring and summer plants 

 and by the table set apart for birds in their season. A competition 

 contest for the best colored crayon sketches of birds aroused much 

 emulation among the school children and resulted in some very excel- 

 lent work. 



Lectures. 



Through the generosity of Mr. Nathan D. Bill the pupils of the 

 Central and Technical High Schools were given an interesting and 

 instructive lecture by the celebrated student of Indian life, George 

 Wharton James, on "Indian Basketry and the Hopi Snake Dance." 

 There was an attendance of seven hundred. The free lecture came on 

 December 5th and on the following evening it was repeated for the 

 general public. 



On February 20th Mr. Frank M. Chapman lectured in High School 

 Hall on the "Pelican" to an audience of about two hundred and fifty 

 people. Such lectures do much to awaken and stimulate interest in 

 scientific matters and constitute a valuable phase of museum activity. 



