THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 181 



A small appropriation has been made for collections in natural his- 

 tory during the past year ; and, under the direction of a distinguished 

 young naturalist, upwards of ten thousand specimens of vertebrated 

 animals, principally reptiles and fishes, have been obtained. Many of 

 these are rare specimens from unexplored parts of our country, and a 

 considerable number of them consists of undescribed species. They 

 furnish the materials for an interesting series of memoirs on physiology, 

 embryology, and comparative anatomy. The whole cost of making 

 this collection did not exceed S140. We are convinced, from the im- 

 portant results obtained by this small expenditure, that a most valuable 

 working collection of objects of the natural history of North America 

 can be obtained at a very moderate outlay of funds. 



Library. 



During the past year the process of developing the plan of the 

 librarj% as given in the programme, has been carried out by Professor 

 Jewett as far as the funds which could be devoted to the purpose would 

 allow. 



Considerable progress has been made in the plan of forming a gen- 

 eral catalogue of all the important libraries in the United States ; and 

 Professor Jewett has wisely commenced the preparation of a catalogue 

 of all the books to be found in the different libraries in the city of Wash- 

 ington, including those of the several departments of the government ; 

 and in this way he will be enabled to exhibit the importance of cata- 

 logues of this kind. 



He has also devoted much time to the continuation of his researches 

 relative to the statistics of libraries in this country, and for an account in 

 detail of his valuable labors in this line I must refer to his report here- 

 with transmitted. I will also direct attention to some important sug- 

 gestions in his report on the subject of the deposit of books lor securing 

 copyright, and the establishment of a bulletin. 



Mmetim. 



The formation of a museum of objects of nature and of art requires 

 much caution. With a given income to be appropriated to the purpose, 

 a time must come when the cost of keeping the objects will just equal 

 the amount of the appropriation ; after this no further increase can take 

 place. Also, the tendency of an Institution of this kind, unless guarded 

 against, will be to expend its funds on a heterogenous collection of ob- 

 jects of mere curiosity; whereas the plan presented in the programme 

 contemplates complete definite collections arranged for scientific pur- 

 poses, rather than for popular display. 



In this connexion there is one point which I beg to present to the 

 consideration of the Board as one of much importance, and which, if 

 possible, should be decided at this meeting, because on it will depend 

 the arrangement of that part of the building devoted to natural history. 

 I allude to the acceptance of the museum of the Exploring Expedition. 



