1911] Teller, Fossils from the Pakeozoic Formations. 175 



this catalogue ; nothing is better adapted to secure permanently 

 the interest for public collections and contribute to their increase 

 than the circulation of such catalogues. We only regret that no 

 more direct reference is made to the individual specimens 

 described and figured in the Natural History of New York, the 

 importance of preserving such records to favor the researches in 

 case of doubts upon the identity of newly discovered species can- 

 not be overrated, and we would particularly call the attention of all 

 Directors of Museums to this point. 



The chief value of many of the Museums of Europe arises 

 from the circumstance that they contain the original specimens 

 described by the naturalists who have brought our science to its 

 present condition." 



While this letter was written in 1853, and referred to the con- 

 templated publication of the list of the type specimens in the col- 

 lections of the Museum of Natural History of the State of New 

 York, it was not until 1903 that the work was completed and pre- 

 sented to the public as Bulletin 65 of that Museum. 



In i860 Spencer F. Baird, then the assistant secretary of the 

 Smithsonian Institution, in the annual report of that year says: 

 The great value of the Museum of the Institution at the present 

 time consists of its being the depository of so many type speci- 

 mens or those upon which the first description of species has been 

 established. These constitute the great attraction to the scientific . 

 investigators, as however carefully prepared the published descrip- 

 tion or figures of any species may be there is almost always some 

 doubtful point to be settled alone by an examination of the types. 

 For this reason they are always guarded with jealous care and 

 considered of much more value than new and undescribed 

 materials. 



By this we can see the almost priceless value of types is recog- 



