REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1919, 75 



for their permanent security and care as well as for their study and 

 accessibility. Many smaller museums with laudable ambitions of be- 

 coming centers of scientific activity in certain fields are endeavoring 

 to maintain type collections in order to attract visiting biologists or 

 to facilitate the studies of some scientists of their own faculty or of 

 some neighboring institutions. But what does it benefit them to 

 have such ready access to a few types when in any event they must 

 consult the much larger number accumulated in the great museums 

 which, because of their age, have been the depositories of types de- 

 scribed by several generations of species-makers? The National 

 Museum has long been recognized as possessing one of the richest 

 type collections in America. Eealizing the obligations to scientific 

 workers all over the country which this possession involves it has 

 been our aim to make the care and accessibility of the types one of 

 the leading features of this institution. The specimens are being 

 segregated, specially housed and marked, card-catalogued and con- 

 stantly inspected. The building and fixtures are fireproof, and their 

 handling is reduced to a minimum. Descriptive catalogues are being 

 prepared and will be published from time to time. In this way it 

 is hoped that the type collection of the National Museum may be- 

 come a Mecca where botanists and zoologists may find material for 

 the settlement of so many vexing questions. Many taxonomists real- 

 izing the importance of this work have in recent years voluntarily 

 deposited the types of their descriptions, knowing that here they 

 would be safe and accessible. 



The curators have continued during the past year their efforts in 

 this direction. Many types are undoubtedly yet undiscovered among 

 the general collections, but diligent search is constantly being made. 

 Quite a number of interesting finds of old types were made during 

 the term of this report in practically all divisions. It is expected 

 that detailed accounts of several of these collections may soon be 

 available. In the meantime it is hoped that authors all over the 

 country will avail themselves of the opportunity to have their types 

 properly preserved for future generations of biologists. 



The operations of the department of biolog}^ by divisions have been 

 as follows : 



Mammals. — The most noteworthy of the accessions received was 

 the result of Dr. W. L. Abbott's continued generosity and consisted 

 of 423 mammals from central Celebes collected by Mr. H. C. Raven. 

 This collection is extremely important, as it supplements in an ad- 

 mirable manner our Malayan material and illustrates the fauna from 

 a region from which we have hitherto had no specimens. It includes 

 several genera not before represented in the Museum, some of them 

 probably undescribed. 



