256 [Dec. 



S skeletons of mammalia, G do. birds, and 2 do. reptiles; an I 21 other interesting 

 pieces in comparative anatomy. 



Dr. Wilson also extended this collection by the donation of 22 mounted skele- 

 tons of birds, principally Australian, and C other anatomical pieces. 



Besides the foregoing, there have been deposited and presented 39 other crania 

 and pieces, principally by Dr. Morton. 



Botduy.— The herbarium has received the addition, through exchange and 

 donation, of 160 species of Cryptogamia. 



Pa/aeo/ituIo^i/A — A large collection of organic remains has been added to the 

 Museum by Dr. Wilson, consisting of 608 species, 1552 specimens of British 

 fossils, many of which are very beautiful and rare. 



^ From other sources we have received 197 fossils, principally from Messrs. 

 Verreux of Paris, Budd, McMinn and Morton. 



A few weeks since our sister institution, the American Philosophical Society, 

 passed a resolution to deposit its Collection of Organic Remains with the Academy. 

 The large number of mammalian remains in this collection renders it one of the 

 most important deposits which has yet been made to our Museum. When re- 

 ceived, a more particular account of it will be given. 



Mineralogy and Geology. — The cabinet of Mineralogy contains over 3700 

 labelled specimens, exclusive of rocks. During the past year there were received 

 206 specimens, chiefly from Messrs. Moss, Verreux and Wilson. 



We will finish this brief report by stating that the collections in all the depart- 

 ments are, at the present time, in a good state of preservation, and are gradually 

 undergoing arrangement by the different committees. 



Joseph LEtoY, 



December ^oth, 1819. CJinirmaii of Curators. 



Mr. Cassin, from the Curators, road the following special report on 

 the state of the Ornitholo";ical collection : 



o 



At the request of the Chairman of the Curators of this Academy, the under- 

 signed begs leave to offer a Special Report upon the department o( Ornithology 

 in which, as Curator, he has been exclusively enga^jed. 



Having had the honor of submitting a report of a similar character at the 

 annual meeting in December 1817, I have now the pleasure of stating that the 

 following collections which had been partly received or were about to be received 

 at that period, have arHved, and have been completely arranged in our Ornitho- 

 logical Galleries, within the past two years ; viz. the very extensive collection 

 of the Prince Massena of Paris, the collection of M. Bourcier of Lyons, Dr. 

 Gambel's North American collection, and all the very valuable and interestin"' 

 collections obtained by purchase and exchange in Europe by Mr. Edward Wilson; 

 while of the Australian collection of the distinguished. Ornithologist Mr. Gould, 

 about two-thirds of the birds, and the entire collection of nests and eg^s, have 

 been received. The detention of the latter, has arisen from the fact that it was 

 found expedient to have the specimens mounted in Europe, the collection having 

 been in siin at the time of purchase. 



