Annual Meeting.] 
430 
[May 4, 
The collection of Ornithology occupies all the galleries of rooms 
K to N and the main gallery of the third floor. This last con- 
sists of about eighteen thousand mounted birds and skins. We 
had received most of these before 1870, but they were stored in 
defective cases and were in such condition that it not only required 
several years constant work before the insects that infested them 
could be exterminated, but a new mode of building cases and new 
fastenings for the sash doors had to be invented before the results 
of this work could be secured. Even now constant vigilance is 
essential for their safe keeping. 
Co-operation with the Institute of Technology began imme- 
diately after the Curator came into office and has continued to the 
present time. The Institute of Technology has only small col- 
lections of its own for the teaching of mineralogy, geology, 
paleontology, botany, comparative anatomy, and zoology, and its 
students use our collections and our library. 
Co-operation with the Boston University began in 1876 and has 
also continued to the present date. 
We have rendered important service both to the Boston Uni- 
versity and to the Institute of Technology, and the history of 
these two institutions shows this fact. 
The Annisquam Laboratory was supported by the Woman’s 
Educational Association and the personal exertions of the Cura- 
tor and Mr. Van Vleck during the summers of seven successive 
years and was then discontinued and all its influence used for the 
foundation of the now successful Biological Laboratory at Wood’s 
Holl. 
The Teachers’ School of Science, which was started in 1871, 
through its direct teachings and publications has made us the 
headquarters of the teachers and others interested in introducing 
the sciences of natural history into the public schools, and it is 
hoped that it also, may become the nucleus of a new institution. 
Definite movements in this direction have been going on for 
several years and are now in progress. The Teachers’ School of 
Science has a very complicated problem to solve and it has taken 
many years to get it into a position in which the foundation of a 
permanent institution could be considered by the proper class of 
persons. Our Museum has incidentally received considerable 
donations of specimens from the School and it has helped to 
introduce to us a large circle of persons living in Boston and in 
