REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 31 



•of specimens as instinctive and attractive as it might be. By far the 

 greater part of the collection, and some of the most interesting speci- 

 mens, have been sent to the Exposition at New Orleans, where this de- 

 partment was well represented. A detailed account however of the 

 display there made would not be of interest in this rei)ort, and the sub- 

 ject may be passed over with the statement that there were sent to 

 New Orleans 290 unit boxes to represent the textiles department of 

 the Museum. The display is said to have been very attractive. Mr. 

 Hitchcock has also been requested to take charge of the physical ap- 

 j)aratus belonging to the Smithsonian Institution which has been trans- 

 ferred to the National Museum and placed in cases. The arrangement 

 has been necessarily very unsystematic, owing to the limited space at 

 his disposal, but in a general way it is classified under three heads, 

 namely, apparatus for experiments on (1) sound, (2) heat and light, 

 and (3) electricity. A list of the instruments in this collection (which 

 is of interest as having been used by Professor Henry) is in course of 

 preparation. In connection with it may be mentioned the relics of 

 electrical and chemical apparatus of Dr. Joseph Priestley, which is on 

 exhibition in the same place. 



The collection of historical relics has received but little attention 

 during the six months, and no effort is at present being made to increase 

 its extent. Perhaps no part of the Museum is more attractive to visitors 

 than that in which the relics of General Washington are displaced, and 

 it is believed that the section of historical relics will receive from year to 

 year a constant increment of valuable memorials of the past. The heirs 

 of General Eobert E. Lee have presented a claim for the recovery of 

 articles of furniture removed from Arlington in 1862, and since then on 

 exhibition with the Washington relics at the Patent Office and in the 

 Museum. Most of these appear never to have been the property of 

 General Washington. They will however be held in the Museum until 

 official instructions for their delivery have been received. 



There has been little activity in connection with the section of fish- 

 eries, the section of naval architecture, and the collection of musical 

 instruments, all of which are however in excellent order and have 

 been considerably extended, though without direct effort. 



An illustrated catalogue of the Catlin collection of Indian paintings 

 has been prepared by Mr. Thomas Donaldson, and will soon be offered 

 for publication. 



Mr. J. E. Watkins, of Camden, N. J., who is one of the leading au- 

 thorities in the country upon the history of railroads and steam trans- 

 portation, and who is indorsed by many of the leading railroad men of 

 the country, was appointed in June honorary curator of the section of 

 steam transportation. It is intended, as opportunity offers, to gather 

 in the Museum a collection of objects illustrating the history of Amer- 

 ican railroads and steamboats, with a view to preserving permanently 

 the memorials of the growth of this most important interest which has 



