434  Field  Columbian  Museum — Reports,  Vol.  i. 
the  Museum,  was  accepted  during  the  month  of  July,  and  Miss  Elsie 
Lippincott  was  appointed  as  his  successor.  Mr.  E.  N.  Guiret  was 
appointed  as  Osteologist  early  in  the  spring,  that  post  having  been 
vacant  over  a  year.  No  other  changes  occurred  in  the  staff  of  the 
Museum. 
Income  and  Maintenance. — The  budget  authorized  by  the  Execu- 
tive Committee  provided  for  the  sum  of  $102,000  for  the  maintenance 
of  the  Museum  for  the  year  ending  September  30,  1900.  The  amount 
expended  was  $94,938,  showing  a  balance  of  $7,062  within  the  antici- 
pated expenses.  In  addition  to  this  amount  $25,924  was  expended  by 
the  authority  of  the  Executive  Committee  for  collections,  expeditions, 
etc.,  bringing  the  total  expenditure  for  the  year  to  $120,862.  Com- 
paring the  cost  of  maintenance  with  the  sums  used  for  like  purposes 
in  previous  years,  it  is  noticed  there  is  quite  an  increase  in  the  amount 
expended  for  general  repairs  of  the  building,  including  the  tedious 
and  expensive  labor  now  in  progress  of  strengthening  the  main  floor. 
It  is  especially  gratifying  that,  notwithstanding  the  unusual  cost  of 
repairs  and  improvements  to  the  building,  the  funds  have  been  found 
within  the  limits  of  the  budget  for  maintenance,  and  there  remains 
several  thousand  dollars  of  this  fund  yet  to  its  credit  for  the  year. 
The  Memberships. — The  number  of  annual  members  still  decreases; 
twenty-nine  resignations  having  been  accepted  during  the  year.  This 
annual  decrease  in  these  memberships  may,  of  course,  be  expected  so 
long  as  no  effort  is  made  to  maintain  the  integrity  of  the  list,  which 
effort  would  not  be  likely  to  give  entire  satisfaction  for  the  reason 
that  the  Museum  is  so  generous  in  the  privileges  extended  to  the  pub- 
lic that  there  remains  very  little  inducement  for  the  payment  of  an 
annual  subscription. 
Lecture  Courses  — Two  courses  were  given  as  usual  in  the 
autumn  and  spring,  bringing  the  number  of  courses  given  by  the 
Museum  up  to  thirteen.  The  participation  of  Messrs.  Harlan  I. 
Smith,  Stewart  Culin  and  James  Mooney  in  the  last  course  was  a 
gratifying  feature,  importantly  connected  as  they  are  with  kindred 
institutions  in  the  east.  The  attendance  upon  these  lectures  has  been 
steadily  good,  and  in  some  instances  the  large  number  of  students 
and  teachers  has  been  observed  with  much  satisfaction.  The  will- 
ingness with  which  well-known  instructors  and  lecturers  participate, 
without  compensation,  in  these  courses  is  an  evidence  of  their  per- 
sonal sympathy  with  the  work  as  well  as  an  indication  of  a  growing 
confidence  in  the  general  good  that  is  being  accomplished  in  this 
community. 
