1S 9 I.] 
271 
[Annual Meeting. 
The truthfulness of the view expressed above, that our Museum 
is to take its share in the general increase of activity, will be more 
apparent next year than this, but at present it suffices to call at- 
tention to the fact that there are three persons not mentioned in 
previous reports who have been working more or less constantly 
for the benefit of the Museum during the past official year. .Miss 
J. M. Arms has accepted the appointment of Assistant in charge 
of the Synoptical collection. Dr. Robert T. Jackson has occu- 
pied one of our workrooms and appears for the first time in these 
reports. Mr. Grabau has been studying the various departments 
of the Museum under the supervision of the Curator in order to 
fit himself to act as guide to the collections during public days. 
The possible development and importance of this undertaking 
is better shown by the following remarks which have been already 
published elsewhere in a somewhat different connection. “ A 
criticism often made upon public museums in all parts of the 
world is that they fail to give any rational explanation of the in- 
teresting and instructive laws which govern the relations of ani- 
mals to their surroundings. A short paragraph in a printed 
guide-book may, perhaps, name the country to which an interest- 
ing group of forms belongs, or may add a few words about their 
habits ; but no notice is taken of the wonderful adaptations of 
their structures to the work they have to do, and the effective 
parts they perform in the great drama of existence. Museums 
cannot afford, it is said, to print works giving such facts properly. 
Although not disposed to believe this to be wholly impracticable, 
we may still grant it for the moment, in order to suggest a simple 
remedy. Instead of a book, which at best can never be ample 
enough to make all the replies that every visitor looks for in its 
necessarily brief descriptions, we would substitute an educated 
man. This officer could not only satisfy all reasonable curiosity, 
but at the same time could awaken interests and make impressions 
that would be of permanent benefit. This is no idle suggestion, 
but one based upon observations made in this Museum for several 
years past. Owing to the generous interest taken in the matter 
by a lady of this city, educated young men, who had been pre- 
viously taught how to explain the collections, have, for several 
months in each year since the spring of 1888 , been employed as 
guides in our Museum. The increased interest they excited was 
evident from the beginning and experience has left us confident 
