far west as California and Washington. Among the foreign visitors were Joseph Ryan of Havana, Cuba; J. George Spencer of London, Eng.; Thomas W. Robson of Newcastle-on-Tyne, Eng. ; J. Ellis Kirkham of Sunderland, Eng.; Etta Holland of Hull, Eng.; Alice Riker Stewart of Scotland; Luke Chess of Canton, China; Helen Myers of Chunking, West China; Helen R. Saunders of Halifax, Nova Scotia: Frank Lee Duff of Melbourne, Australia; and Lewis H. Hemenway of Honolulu, Hawaii.

Financial Statement of Cochran Gift

The financial statement of the Manor Hall Fund, Cochran Gift, belonging to the Society, is given with the accounts of the other Society funds on page 34 preceding.

Financial Statement of State Funds

Following is a statement of State funds received and disbursed on account of Philipse Manor Hall during the year ended December 31, 1916:

22-25. Yonkers El. Lt. and Power Co., lighting.... 26. S. H. Thayer, paid for water rent.

7 93

9 27

21.

Disbursements before reported....

19.

20. S. H. Thayer, disbursements.

S. H. Thayer, paid for labor..

22-24. Yonkers El. L. and P. Co., service Jan.-Feb...

$881 93

3. 00

1 07

7 13

18 61

20.

John Maloney, watchman.

16-19. Yonkers E. L. and P. Co., service Aug.-Sept.

N. Y. Telephone Co., service, September...

62 50

5 16

4. 00

$3,450 00

John Boyd Thacher Park is a tract of about 350 acres of land on the crest of the Helderberg escarpment about fifteen miles due west of Albany. It is situated in the towns of New Scotland and Guilderland, Albany county. It is about two and a half miles from Meadowdale station on the Delaware and Hudson railroad and about eight miles from Altamont on the same road. The postoffice address of the superintendent, however, is East Berne, Albany county. The park was given to the state by Mrs. John Boyd Thacher of Albany in memory of her late husband. Mr. Thacher was a distinguished citizen of Albany and had an international reputation as an author. The gift was accepted by the State of New York and committed to the custody of this Society by chapter 117 of the laws of 1914. An extended description of this beautiful property is given at pages 341-377 of our Nineteenth Annual Report for 1914.

The park extends about three miles along the Helderberg escarpment. This interesting geological formation has an altitude of from 1200 to 1800 feet above sea-level, and here faces eastward and northeastward. The immediate foreground for many miles beyond the foot of the cliffs lies below the 400 feet contour. Beyond this and the middle distance can be seen the Adirondack Mountains in one direction and the Green Mountains in another. The park is diversified by hills, meadows, and precipitous cliffs, brooks, cascades and waterfalls, caves and subterranean streams, forests and orchards. Fossils are so abundant in the corniferous limestones, frequently called the "Helderberg geological series ", that they can be picked out of the exposed strata, or from the stone fences or from the plowed fields. It is a geologists' paradise, and has been visited by some fifty of the leading geologists, paleontologists, and men eminent in related branches of science, includ

ing Agassiz, Dana and Lyell. The park also has historical associations reaching back to Indian days, so that it possesses threefold value on account of its natural beauty, its scientific interest and its historical associations.

Our standing committee in immediate charge of the administration of the park consists of Mr. Francis Whiting Halsey of New York, Chairman, Hon. Benjamin W. Arnold of Albany, Mrs. Daniel Manning of Albany, Prof. John C. Smock of Hudson, N. Y., Mrs. John Boyd Thacher of Albany, and Hon. James F. Tracey of Albany.

The Superintendent is Mr. John H. Cook.

Maintenance and Repairs

During the year ended December 31, 1916, we spent $5,263.40 of State money on the maintenance of the park and repairs to buildings, roads and paths. On account of the meagre appropriations made by the Legislature, we were not able to make much progress in putting the park in the condition in which it should be to meet the necessities of administration and the requirements of public convenience.

Administrative Center - Need of Provision

Nominally, the administrative center of the park is the group of old buildings, consisting of an ancient wooden dwelling, a barn and some out-buildings, standing on the north side of the main road leading to the Indian Ladder just within the western entrance to the park. As a matter of fact, there is no Administrative Center within the park boundaries because there is no habitable building in which the Superintendent can live. In 1916 we took some steps with a view to remedying this anomalous situation.

After two months of preliminary work and three months of enforced delay due to scarcity of help, the old residence was moved northwestward a few hundred feet to higher ground and placed on a new foundation in October. Previous to removing the main part from the old foundation the addition in the rear was demolished, it not being worth the expense of trying to move it intact. After removal to its new site, the administration building was boarded up to protect it from the elements. We have asked the