The most important as well as oldest museums under the control of scientific societies are those of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and the Boston Society of Natural History; the first dating from 1812, the latter from 1831, although it was the successor of the Linnaean Society, founded in 1814. Each con tains large collections of birds comprising many types of species described by our earlier orni thologists, such as Wilson, Bonaparte, Cassin and Lawrence. The academy has the largest collection of mollusks in America, and one of the largest in the world, including many types of Tryon, Say and Pilshry. These two insti tutions may be looked upon as the predecessors of public, scientifically arranged museums in the United States, the majority of our museums being of very recent origin.
There are few museums in the United States directly owned or administered exclusively by municipalities, as are public libraries, almost the only one being the Public Museum of the city of Milwaukee, but there are many to which the city has contributed or does contribute, either by grants of land, erection of buildings or an nual appropriations for financial support, and there is a growing tendency toward this co-op eration between city and citizens as the educa tional value and practical importance of museums are recognized. About 15. per cent of our museums belong in this class, including many of the largest and most active, the chief among them being the American Museum of Natural History.
There is however, a large and constantly growing number of State museums, that of New York standing first, while those of Ohio, Illi nois and Pennsylvania are most important. The scope of these State institutions is somewhat general, comprising natural history and history, this latter being usually treated in a somewhat desultory way.
In the category of museums supported by endowment or by private funds and municipal aid are to be found all the art museums in the United States, not one having been established by the national government or that of any State. Local museums are practically lacking
in the United States; for most of the smaller museums, even, make the attempt to cover the same ground as the larger institutions when they could achieve much better results by con fining their attention to the immediate vicinity. In conclusion it may be said that while public museums are not so numerous in the United States as might be expected from the size, re sources and wealth of the country, the last 25 years has not only witnessed a great increase in their number but in the growth and educa tional efficiency of those already established.
Bibliography.— For detailed information as to museums and their administration, cases, labels and the arrangement of exhibits, consult 'Museums Association, Report of Proceedings, etc.' (London 1890 to 1900) ; since that date 'Journal of the Museums Association' and 'Proceedings of the American Association of Museums) from 1907; the museums of the United States are listed in 'A Directory of American Museums,' published by the Buffalo Society of Natural History, 1910; those of Great Britain and her colonies in 'Directory of Museums in Great Britain and Ireland' Lon don 1911). For the history of the Smithsonian Institution, United States National Museum, classification and administration of museums, consult 'A Memorial of George Brown Goode' (Report of the United States National Museum for 1897, Part 2, Washington, D. C.).
A work in three volumes on 'Museums, their History and their Use, with a Bibliography and List of Museums in the United Kingdom,' by Dr. D. Murray, has been published by James Madehose & Sons, Glasgow.
The volume of museum literature in the shape of reports, bulletins, general guides and special leaflets is to-day very considerable and many issue ssue regular periodicals for the formation of their sustaining members and the public. FREDERIC A. LUCAS, Director, American Museum of Natural His tory.