12 KEPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1909. 



belonging to the establishment. Most freely have they been put at 

 the disposal of investigators connected with other institutions, and, 

 in fact, without the help of many such the record of scientific prog- 

 ress based upon the material in the Museum would be greatly cur- 

 tailed. When it is possible to so arrange, the investigator comes to 

 Washington ; otherwise such collections as he needs are sent to him, 

 whether he resides in this country or abroad. In this manner 

 practically every prominent specialist throughout the world interested 

 in the subjects here well represented has had some use of the col- 

 lections, and thereby the National Museum has come to be recognized 

 as a conspicuous factor in the advancement of knowledge wherever 

 civilization has a foothold. 



