44 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



nati, and the International Cotton Exposition at New Orleans, opening 

 in December, 1884. 



Many applications are made from time to time to the Institution for 

 material for display, but in every instance they have been declined, un- 

 less an act of Congress has been passed authorizing the same, and mak- 

 ing the necessary appropriation. It is considered that the Institution 

 has no right to allow any of its collections to leave the walls of the Mu- 

 seum without such authority, and as the appropriations are each made 

 for a specific purpose, all expenditures of the same are strictly applied 

 as designated. 



Great confusion is generally caused in the regular work of the Na- 

 tional Museum, as the time of the curators and assistants is occupied in 

 spasmodic efforts, apart from the regular continuous work necessary to 

 properly install and label the permanent collections. This condition is 

 cheerfully met, however, as the appropriations are generally such as 

 permit, and, indeed, require, the acquisition of new material which may 

 not be attainable excepting by purchase or expenditure of some kind. 

 Thus, with the help of the appropriations for the Berlin and London 

 displays, the Museum has acquired what may safely be considered the 

 most complete exhibition of fishery apparatus, methods, and products 

 ever combined under one roof, and constituting an object of great at- 

 traction to visitors. The experience of the present year is also in the 

 same direction ; all funds available being expended specially in procur- 

 ing material illustrative of archaeology and ethnology, and in bringing 

 together very extensive representations of the general industries of 

 the United States connected with textile materials, metallurgy, &c. The 

 increase in the collections of the Museum by this means and others is 

 so rapid as to involve the necessity for the speedy erection of a new 

 building for their proper accommodation. 



In accordance with an act of Congress making jirovision for the par- 

 ticipation by the United States in the International Cotton Exhibition 

 at New Orleans, Mr. G. Brown Goode was nominated as the representa- 

 tive of the Fish Commission on that occasion and was duly commissioned 

 to that effect in May last. In conjunction with the representatives from 

 other departments, Mr. Goode has been diligently occupied in his labors, 

 which were brought to a satisfactory conclusion by the transmission of 

 several car-loads of objects to New Orleans in December last. 



Prior to the transmission of collections to Nevr Orleans, extended 

 displays were made at the exhibitions in Cincinnati and Louisville, some 

 of which have been returned to the Institution and others forwarded 

 direct to New Orleans. 



NECROLOGY. 



Dr. Arnold Henry Guyot, one of the earliest contributors to the in- 

 terests and the pubhcations of the Smithsonian Institution, is one whose 

 death early in the past year we have to lament. Born at Boudevilliers, 

 near Neuchatel, in Switzerland, September 28, 1807, he entered the 



