8 Field Museum of Natural History — Reports, Vol. III. 



The serious and anxious bearing of all of the employees in the 

 Museum, — the common laborer, the janitor, the skilled workman, 

 the clerks, — and throughout the entire staff during the week preced- 

 ing his death, and the expressions and manner of regret and grief after 

 his death, disappearing very slowly as the days grew, gave unques- 

 tioned testimony of the genuineness of the prevailing unusual sorrow 

 that the improving and helpful influence of the splendid character, 

 whose name was borne by the institution for which they labored, 

 had been withdrawn. 



Naturally, while Mr. Field officially had nothing to do with the 

 conduct of the Museum, many questions in one way and another 

 reached him for advice and decision. Mr. Field was wise in his con- 

 ception of a subject, and he seemed to get directly at the positive 

 and negative elements of a problem. He was just and fair, and in 

 weighing out a general proposition, he never appeared to lose account 

 of the individual equation, that is to say, what the result might be at 

 present, or in the future, to any individual, no matter how humble, 

 who might be involved in the outcome. In cases where he had learned 

 of the illness or misfortune of any one connected with the Museum, 

 his personal and helpful attentions, where possible, were never lack- 

 ing, while his individual courtesies were numerous and unfailing. 

 From the day that Mr. Field permitted his name to be used in desig- 

 nating the institution, no one connected with it doubted the security 

 of its future, nor the certainty of its development along right lines. 

 His name was a great asset, as it has become a valuable legacy. 



I have the honor to present a report of the operations of the 

 Museum for the year ending December 31, 1906: 



The announcement of the change in the name of the Museum 

 has been received with satisfaction by contemporaries, and with the 

 approval of the general public. This change established, as it states 

 clearly, the scope of the institution. In anticipation of this step, 

 the Curators of the departments have been engaged for some time in 

 removing irrelevant material, and since the date of the change, which 

 carried with it a contraction of operations to within the exact lines 

 of the natural sciences, much other material has been taken from 

 exhibition and the departments readjusted to the new order of things. 



Coincident with the change in the name of the Museum, the 

 Trustees made several alterations in the articles of incorporation and 

 the by-laws of the corporate body. Among these, an important 



