New York State Museum Bulletin 
Entered as second: class matter November 27, 1915, at the Post Office at Albany, N. Y., 
under the act of August 24, 1912. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage 
provided for in section 1103, act of October 3, 1917, authorized July 19, 1918 
Published bimonthly by The University of the State of New York 
No. 253 INL IBVAINIYE, | INI) YG. July 1924 
The University of the State of New York 
New York State Museum 
JoHN M. Crarxke, Director 
NINETEENTH REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF 
THE STATE MUSEUM AND SCIENCE 
DEPARTMENT 
INCLUDING THE SEVENTY-SIXTH REPORT OF THE STATE MUSEUM, THE 
FORTY-SECOND REPORT OF THE STATE GEOLOGIST AND THE 
REPORT OF THE STATE PALEONTOLOGIST FOR 1923 
INTRODUCTION 
To the administration of this department there comes a constantly 
enlarging public inquiry for a full expression of the functions of the 
State Museum. This opportunity is therefore taken to put in form 
such an expression in order to make it accessible to inquirers, in- 
- corporating herein some part of the historical but more of the actual 
activities, adding thereto for especial notice, noteworthy progress in 
these during the past year. 
a8, SONS, IMU SISO Al 
The State Museum dates its organization from the year 1843 and 
its origin from the scientific materials brought together by the 
Natural History Survey, 1836-43. In the matter of location its early 
history was vacillating and incoherent. At the start its collections 
were put under the supervision of the Secretary of State and 
were assigned to such rooms in the old State Capitol as that official 
could find convenient. For 10 years pushed from place to place, it 
was rescued and stabilized by the action of Governor Clark in 1855 
who effected legislation which took over and remodeled for its pur- 
poses the “Old State Hall’ at the southwest corner of State and 
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