218 [December, 



The report of the Curators was then read, as follows ; 



REPORT OF THE CURATORS FOR 1852. 



Since the last annual report of the Curators was presented to the Academy, 

 very considerable additions have been made to its Museum, which, we are happy 

 to state, continues in a good state of preservation. Latterly the Cabinet has 

 sustained several losses by the abstraction of valuable specimens, but the circum- 

 stance having excited the attention of the Curators, means have been resorted 

 to, which we hope will prevent further depredation. 



During the year, the different departments of the Museum have received the 

 following donations : 



Mammalia. Of this class there have been presented the skins of 35 specimens 

 of 25 species, principally from Dr. D. Leasure, Drs. A. L. Heermann, E. K. Kane, 

 J. L. Le Conte, S. W. Woodhouse, Mr. J. D. Sergeant and Col. G. A. McCall. 



Aves. Of bird-skins 94 specimens of about 60 species have been received. 

 The principal donors are Drs. H. G. Dalton, E. K. Kane, A. A. Henderson, T. 

 Carlton Henry, W. S. "W. Ruschenberger, Messrs. E. H. Kern, J. D. Sergeant, G, 

 N. Lawrence, J. Lambert, G. A. McCall. Part of the number formed the collec- 

 tion made in Lieut. Lynch's Expedition to the Dead Sea, and was presented by 

 order of the Secretary of the Navy. 



Besides the above, numerous species have been deposited by Dr. Wilson, of 

 which no official record has been given to the Curators. 



Of birds' eggs, a large number of specimens of about 40 species, have been 

 presented by Messrs. John Krider, E. Wilson, and A. L. Heermann. 



Reptilia. Of this class 100 specimens have been presented, chiefly by Messrs. 

 H. A. Ford, A. L. Heermann, G. Watson, B. F. Shumard, J. Le Conte, G. W. 

 Fahnestock, G. A. McCall, J. Krider and E. Harris. The species are from 

 different parts of the world, and a number of them from Africa and the 

 western part of Nerth America, are new, and have been recently described in 

 the Proceedings of the Academy by Dr. Hallowell. 



Pisces. Of fishes 58 specimens of 35 species have been presented by Messrs. 

 G. W. Fahnestock, Edw. Wilson, A. A. Henderson, E. Harris, J. Le Conte and 

 T. Conrad. Among the number are several specimens of the curious Branchi- 

 ostoma. 



Mollusca. In this department the Cabinet has received an addition of 

 numerous specimens of 80 species of shells, chiefly from Messrs. Edw. Wilson, 

 S. Handy, J. Krider and J. L. Burtt. 



Crustacea. In this department we have reaped a rich harvest. 



190 specimens of 54 species of British Crustacea were presented by Edward 

 Wilson, Esq. 



282 species of 136 genera, from the collection of M. Guerin Meneville, have 

 been received from Dr. T. B. Wilson. This collection is particularly valuable, 

 on account of the great number of minute and rare species from all parts of the 

 globe, which it contains. 



Besides the above, M. J. Verreaux, of Paris, has presented 36 specimens 

 of 14 species, and 112 specimens of about 50 species were received from 

 Messrs. Edw. Wilson, S. Ashmead, J. Le Conte, and others. 



Insecta. 600 specimens of the various orders of insects have been presented 

 principally by Messrs. A. L. Heermann, H. G. Dalton, S. S. Haldeman. 



Arachnida, Annelida and Myriapoda. Of these 49 species have been received 

 from Messrs. Edward Wilson, R. H. Kern, R. E. Peterson, and others. 



Zoophyta. 178 specimens have been presented by Messrs. Edward Wilson, 

 T. B. Wilson, W. S. W. Ruschenberger, F. S. Holmes, and others. 



Comparative Anatomy. A magnificent skeleton of the Troglodytes gorilla, 

 Savage^ was presented by Dr. Henry A. Ford, of Liberia, and a specimen 



