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



building is much improved, it now seems that nothing can be done 

 to protect or conceal the decomposing plaster and staff with which 

 the brick walls of the building are covered. 



During the year the Curator of the Department of Anthropology 

 concluded an extended survey of the Far East and the Southern 

 Pacific in furtherance of the plans of the Museum to extend the 

 active operations of that Department into those fields. Further 

 reference to this tour, and to the movements of the other Curators 

 and other field work will be made elsewhere. 



While the general subject of accessions will be considered in a 

 subsequent part of the report, reference should specially be made of 

 the acquisition by purchase of the well-known Strecker butterfly 

 and moth collection, numbering 50,000 specimens, and including the 

 notes and working library of the collector. 



There has been but one change in the scientific staff. Dr. Arthur 

 B. Lewis has been appointed Assistant Curator of African and 

 Melanesian Ethnology during the year. The faithful performance of 

 the forces of the Museum will be found reflected in the more detailed 

 report following. 



Maintenance. — The Budget authorized by the Board of Trustees 

 provided the sum of $171,640 for the maintenance of the Museum for 

 the year. The amount expended was $147,510, leaving a satisfactory 

 margin of $24,130. In addition to this amount $43,000 was expended 

 by special authority of the Board of Trustees for collections, ex- 

 peditions, and exhibition cases, bringing the total expenditure for the 

 year to approximately $200,000. The amount allowed for maintenance 

 for the year shows an increase over the previous year. This is ac- 

 counted for by the addition of several new members to the working 

 force and extraordinary repairs to the Museum building. 



Lecture Course. — The usual two series of lectures have been given 

 during the year, illustrated in each case and covering an unusual range 

 of interesting subjects. The seating capacity of the hall in which the 

 lectures are given has been taxed to its utmost on every occasion, 

 in several instances the hall being filled and the doors closed thirty 

 minutes before the announced time of the lecture. 



Following is the twenty-eighth Lecture Course, with the subjects 

 and lectures delivered during the months of March and April, 1908: 



March 7. — "The Wilderness of Florida." 



Prof. C. B. Cory, Curator of Zoology. 



