UNITED STATES

ALABAMA

AUBURN:

ALABAMA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE.

The herbarium of the institute comprises 6000 cryptogams and 17,000 phanerogams, and is in charge of Francis E. Lloyd, professor of botany, assisted by Charles S. Ridgeway, instructor in botany.

There are also small teaching collections in geology and zoology, and a paleontological collection including a series of local fossils and a small collection from the Paris basin.

MONTGOMERY:

ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY. This department was established in 1901 and maintains a museum and art gallery in the state capitol, in charge of Thomas M. Owen, director.

The museum has been accumulated gradually since the founding of the college in 1867, and includes small collections in anthropology, art, botany, commerce and industry, geology, paleontology, zoölogy, etc., chiefly used in connection with instruction in the college. The museum has no regular income and no special staff, being cared for by the teachers of the scientific subjects.

TUSCALOOSA:

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF ALABAMA.

Museum.

STAFF. Director, Eugene Allen Smith, who is also director of the survey; Curator, Herbert H. Smith; Volunteer Assistant, Mrs. Herbert H. Smith.

ANTHROPOLOGY. Two cases of Indian antiquities, chiefly from Moundville, near Tuscaloosa. This material has been presented by Dr. Smith, Professor Wyman, and Mr. E. N. C. Snow. There is no systematic collection at present.

BOTANY. A. The Mohr herbarium, comprising (1) 2500 species of ferns and flowering plants growing without cultivation in Alabama, and 2500 species of algae, lichens, fungi, mosses, and liverworts of Alabama. (2) A forestry collection, comprising (a) specimens of the native woods of Alabama in blocks of brick shape with appropriate labels, collected by Dr. Mohr in 1880 for the geological survey and representing 125 species; (b) 150 specimens in individual glass-front cases, illustrating the foliage, flowers, and fruit of the species included. in (a); (c) manuscript maps by Dr. Mohr, illustrating the geographical distribution of the most important timber trees. This extensive herbarium of native plants was collected by Dr. Charles A. Mohr and Dr. Eugene A. Smith, and presented by them to the geological survey of Alabama in 1873. It was the basis of Dr. Mohr's report on "The Plant Life of Alabama." Since that time many additions have been made by Dr. Mohr, who also did all the work of mounting and arranging the specimens. B. The Peters collection, the gift of Judge Thomas Minott Peters, comprising (a) the T. M. Peters collection of 110 species of mosses, 23 of algae, 500+ of Alabama fungi, 110 of Alabama lichens, and 200 of the genus Carex; (b) fascicles I-V of Ravenel's Fungi Caroliniani exsiccati, 500 species; (c) fascicles I-V of Tuckerman's Lichenes Amer. Septr., 150 species. These are all mounted in bound volumes, and constitute a most valuable part of the herbarium.

GEOGRAPHY. A large relief map of the southern Appalachian region, the work of E. E. Howell, and many maps and sections prepared by the state and United States surveys, together with models and relief maps for educational purposes.

GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY. The collections of the geological survey of the state are by law deposited in the museum, comprising 75,000 fossils and 5000+ minerals and rocks illustrative of Alabama geology and mining industries. There is also a very large and fine series of tertiary fossils, presented by Mr. T. H. Aldrich and including the co-types of species described by him; the Lommel collection of 1000 specimens of European fossils and rocks; the Schowalter collection. of minerals and fossils; extensive collections from New York, Vermont, Indiana, Wisconsin, etc.; and an extensive series from the United States. geological survey. Among the fossils, the type series of Alabama. coal plants, described by Lesquereux, deserve special mention.

ZOOLOGY. (1) The conchological collections of about 2000 species, comprising (a) the classical Schowalter collection of 100,000 land, fresh-water, and marine shells from all parts of the world; (b) the Mohr collection of land, fresh-water, and marine shells from all parts of the

world; (c) collections of Alabama species, including 350 species of land and fresh-water shells collected by H. H. Smith. (2) Entomological collections, including several thousand specimens as yet unnamed, and 1000 named species of Alabama coleoptera, presented by Mr. H. P. Löding, of Mobile. (3) The Mohr alcoholic collection of fishes of Mobile Bay. (4) Alcoholic specimens of marine invertebrates of the Atlantic coast, presented by the Smithsonian Institution. (5) The Tuomey collection of Alabama reptiles. (6) The Avery bird collection, made by the late Dr. Avery at Greensboro, and purchased by the geological survey and deposited in the museum. The collection consists of 900 specimens of bird skins, representing 175± species.

HISTORICAL SKETCH. The present museum has grown from the collections made by the geological survey, under Professor Tuomey from 1847 to 1857, and under Dr. Eugene A. Smith from 1873 to the present. The collections of Professor Tuomey and of the university were largely destroyed by fire in 1865. The specimens which were saved at that time lost most of their value by the destruction of their labels during the period of reconstruction from 1868 to 1871. Since 1871 the geological department of the university, and since 1873 the geological survey of the state, have been under the charge of Dr. Eugene A. Smith. The present museum has been chiefly accumulated during this period. The state legislature of 1906-7 appropriated $100,000 for the erection of a new building to provide adequate quarters for the museum.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT. The museum has no special funds. The expense of collection and administration has been met by the geological survey, while the cost of cases and other equipment has been borne by the university.

BUILDING. The new building, named Smith Hall in honor of the director, was completed in December, 1909, at a cost of $100,000 appropriated by the legislature. It provides about 12,000 square feet of floor space available for exhibition, and 18,000 for library, offices, workrooms, lecture rooms, and laboratories for the geological survey and for the departments of biology and geology of the university.

ADMINISTRATION. By a director, who is also professor of geology and state geologist, responsible to the president and board of trustees of the university.

SCOPE. Special emphasis is laid upon exploration and exhibition of the biological and geological resources of Alabama, supplemented by general collections for university instruction.