COLLECTIONS IN PHILADELPHIA. 417 



of the Philosophical Society. The zoological 

 collections of the Academy of Science are the 

 oldest in the United States, the only ones, 

 except those of the Wilkes Expedition, which 

 can equal in interest those of Europe. There 

 are the collections of Say, the earliest natural- 

 ist of distinction in the United States ; there 

 are also the fossil remains and the animals de- 

 scribed by Harlan, by Godman, and by Hayes, 

 and the fossils described by Conrad and Mor- 

 ton. Dr. Morton's unique collection of hu- 

 man skulls is also to be found in Philadelphia. 

 Imagine a series of six hundred skulls, mostly 

 Indian, of all the tribes who now inhabit or 

 formerly inhabited America. Nothing like it 

 exists elsewhere. This collection alone is 

 worth a journey to America. Dr. Morton has 

 had the kindness to give me a copy of his 

 great illustrated work representing all the 

 types of his collection. Quite recently a gen- 

 erous citizen of Philadelphia has enriched this 

 museum with the fine collection of birds be- 

 longing to the Duke of Rivoli. He bought 

 it for 3,700 francs, and presented it to his na- 

 tive city. 



The number of fossil remains comprised in 

 these collections is very considerable ; masto- 

 dons especiaUy, and fossils of the cretaceous 



VOL. n. 2 



