REPORT OF T1IE SECRETARY. 47 



exceed the unaided means of the Institution, unless the time of com- 

 pleting the distribution be extended over a number of years. 



In accordance with the plan described, a commencement has been 

 made in the work, preparatory to the general distribution. The assort- 

 ment and labeling of an entire set of shells has been principally 

 intrusted to Mr. Philip Carpenter, of Warrington, England, one of 

 the first conchologists of the day, who has prepared a report on the 

 shells of the northwest coast of the United States for the British Asso- 

 ciation. In this work Mr. Carpenter has been assisted by the gratui- 

 tous labor of Mr. Isaac Lea, Dr. A. A. Gould, Dr. E. Foreman, Mr. 

 W. G. Binney, Dr. W. Stimpson, and Mr. Temple Prime. 



The botanical collection has been placed in the hands of Dr. John 

 Torrey, of New York, who has generously offered, with the cooperation of 

 Dr.. Gray, of Harvard University, to superintend the labeling of a com- 

 plete set of specimens to be preserved in the museum of this Institution, 

 of several sets of original type series, to be presented to some of the 

 principal museums of this country and of Europe, and the preparation 

 of the remainder for distribution to colleges and academies. 



The arrangement of the specimens of the other branches of natural 

 history has been commenced and laboriously prosecuted under the 

 direction of Professor Baird, who has been assisted especially by Dr. 

 H. Bryant, Mr. Theodore Gill, and a number of amateur naturalists. 

 In accordance with the policy of rendering the collections of new 

 material immediately available for the advance of science, a number of 

 series of specimens of different genera and species have been intrusted 

 for study and description to different gentlemen interested in special 

 branches of natural history. The service which has been rendered the 

 cause of natural history by this liberal course is far greater than might 

 at first sight appear. 



It may be safely asserted that scarcely any extended investigation 

 in the line of natural history has been prosecuted in this country 

 during the last ten years without having its material in greater or less 

 part furnished by the Institution. 



Explorations. — During the past year the collections have been 

 increased by a number of expeditions under the direction of the 

 different departments of the general government, and by explorations 

 in part at the expense and under the direction of the Institution. Of 

 these a detailed history is given in the report of Professor Baird here- 

 with presented, and it is only necessary for me in this connection to 

 mention some of the latter sources of the increase of specimens. 



