REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE STATE LABORATORY 
OF NATURAL HISTORY. 
Hon. James P. Srapn, State Supt. of Public Instruction, and Secretary 
of the State Board of Education, Springfield, Ill.: 
Smr—The operations of the State Laboratory of Natural History 
are now included under the following heads: By the law of 1877, 
establishing a State Museum, the laboratory was charged with pro- 
viding for that institution, as soon as possible, a series of the plants 
and animals of the State, and an appropriation of $1,000 per annum 
was made for that purpose. This appropriation was repeated in 
the same terms at the last session of the State legislature. The 
laboratory was also required by the above law to furnish, as far as 
practicable, all zodlogical and botanical matter needed by the State 
educational institutions for the proper performance of their work; 
but no appropriation being made at the time for that purpose, but 
little could be done, at first, in that direction. This omission was 
corrected at the last session of the legislature, $250 per annum 
being appropriated for this purpose, and the supply of these insti- 
tutions has, therefore, become a regular part of the work of the 
establishment. An appropriation of $250 per annum was also voted 
to the laboratory, at the last session, for the supply of public high 
schools, thus necessitating the preparation of illustrative cabinets 
for distribution. We were also directed to investigate the large 
and intricate subject of the food of birds, in the interests of 
agriculture and horticulture, $200 per annum being voted for the 
expenses of this work. A similar research was directed, and pro- 
vided for, respecting the food and_ habits of fishes—a subject of 
vital importance to fish culture, and one upon which very little 
accurate information has been hitherto accumulated. The sum of 
$150 per annum was voted for this purpose, The remaining appro- 
priations of the bill under which we are now working, are $1,100 
per annum for additions to the hbrary, $250 per annum for the 
publication of bulletins, and $800 per annum for the pay of ‘an 
assistant. It will be seen that the operations of the laboratory may 
be conveniently and accurately described as constituting a zodlogical 
and botanical survey of the State, conducted with reference to its 
scientific, educational and economical interests. Although not form- 
ally so termed in the laws relating to the institution, this is what 
those laws necessarily result in, when their directions are carried 
at and this is the point of view which I shall take in reporting 
yon our work. 
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