1888 .] 
NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 
441 
ant. Through the kindness of Dr. H. C. Chapman the Academy has 
received a fine selection of marine invertebrates from Bar Harbor, 
Maine, many species of which had not hitherto been represented in the 
general collection. The Zoological Society of Philadelphia has also 
'Contributed largely in material from their gardens, and thereby filled 
in many gaps that could not otherwise be readily closed. 
The trip to the Bermuda Islands which was planned by the Cura- 
tor-in-Charge, and toward which the Academy generously contrib¬ 
uted its assistance, proved successful beyond anticipation, and 
has resulted in placing in the x4.cademy’s museum a large and im¬ 
portant collection of sub-tropical marine forms, the greater number 
of which are now for the first time represented, and many of 
which are new to science. The results of the expedition, which 
are now in course of publication in the Academy’s Proceedings, 
prove what benefits may be derived from zoo-geographical research 
of this kind, undertaken with only moderate expense, and with 
no special preparation. The value of this form of scientific re¬ 
search has been indicated in previous reports, and attention is once 
more directed to the advisability of endowing a moderate zoo-geo¬ 
graphical research fund, the interest from which should be expended 
annually in the exploration of the numerous regions which still 
await investigation. It is believed that no other method could be 
suggested which would yield such important scientific results, and at 
the same time render the Academy a virtual centre of scientific ac¬ 
tivity in the country. 
The Curator-in-Charge again desires to call attention to the ab¬ 
solute need of an extension to the present accommodations; the exist¬ 
ing conditions are becoming more serious every year, and render a 
change, if the efficiency of the institution is not to be lessened, im¬ 
perative. The collections can no longer be advantageously increased, 
nor can they be satisfactorily cared for in their restricted quarters. 
Portions of the library are being gradually encroached upon, and 
the work-rooms are all filled. The need for a suitable lecture-hall 
or amphitheatre is pressing, and the same is true of special students’ 
rooms and laboratories. It is earnestly hoped that the generous 
public of this city, who have so kindly lent their assistance before, 
will not allow the most important institution of the kind in the 
country to go in want. The attempts to obtain aid from the State, 
although often repeated, have thus far proved abortive; but an ef¬ 
fort will again be made during the coming session of the Legisla¬ 
ture. 
