FIFTY YEARS OF MUSEUM WORK 



It is seldom that one follows a given occupation uninterruptedly 

 for fifty years. Our first work, like our first love, is apt to be of a transi- 

 tory nature, and usually, "in his time one man plays many parts." 



But it has happened that so far my entire life has been passed either 

 in practical preparation for museum work or in its execution, in various 

 lines from preparator to director. 



The main facts of this half century of work are briefly given in 

 that useful and much used work, "Who's Who in America." The 

 record there is as follows: 



Lucas, Frederic Augustus, director; b. at Plymouth, Mass., Mar. 25, 1852; s. 

 Augustus Henry and Eliza (Oliver) L.; pub. sch. edn.; (Sc.D., U. of Pittsburgh, 

 1909); m. Annie J. Edgar, of Rochester, N. Y., Feb. 13, 1884. Asst., Ward's 

 Natural Science Establishment, Rochester, N. Y., 1871-82; osteologist, 1882-7, 

 asst. curator div. comparative anatomy, 1887-93, curator, 1893-1904, TJ. S. 

 Nat. Mus.; curator-in-chief museums of Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences, 

 1904-11; director, American Museum of Natural History, New York, June 15, 

 1911-Dec. 31, 1923; Honorary Director, Jan. 1, 1924-Feb. 9, 1929. Mem. 

 eommn. to investigate condition of fur seal herd of Pribilof Islands, 1896-97. 

 Fellow American Ornithologists' Union, N. Y. Academy of Sciences; mem. 

 Museums Association of Great Britain, Biol. Soc. Washington, 1 Am. Museums 

 Assoc.; corr. mem. Zo61. Soc. London; hon. mem. Calif. Acad. Sciences; fellow 

 N. Y. Zool. Soc. Clubs: Authors, 1 Explorers. Has written various papers on 

 anatomy of birds, fossil vertebrates and museum methods. Author: Animals 

 of the Past, 1901 ; Animals Before Man in North America, 1902. 



To this may be added: 



Charter Member of the Association of American Anatomists and of the Washing- 

 ton Academy of Sciences, Foreign Member of the Zoological Society of London, Life 

 Member of the American Museum of Natural History, Colaborador de la Direcci6n 

 de Estudios Biol6gicos, Secretaria de Estado y del Despacho de Fomento, Coloniza- 

 cion e Industria, Republiea Mexicana. 



Contributed numerous articles to Johnson's Cyclopaedia and special articles to 

 the International Encyclopaedia and Encyclopaedia Americana; made many illus- 

 trations for first edition of the Century Dictionary; collaborator in revision and 

 supplement to Century Dictionary, in Vertebrate Zoology, Comparative Anatomy 

 and Palaeontology; Associate Editor of Champlin's Young Folks' Natural History; 

 Article Aves in the English translation of Zittel's Textbook of Palaeontology, 1902; 

 Chapter on the Anatomy of Birds in Rnowlton and Ridgway's "Birds of the World." 



Among other positions held are those of President of the Society of American 

 Taxidermists, President of the Biological Society of Washington, President of the 

 American Association of Museums, Vice-President of the National Association of 

 Audubon Societies. 



'Since resigned. 



