72 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1896. 



present fiscal year. The collection was formally oftered to the Museum 

 in December, 1891, and its extent and extraordinary scientific value 

 were referred to at length in the report for the fiscal year ending June 

 30, 1892. A brief statement of its contents may not, however, be out 

 of place. The collection was included in three hundred and fifteen 

 boxes, as follows : 



Two hundred and eiffht boxes, embracing over seventeen thousand specimens of 

 Paleozoic plants. These include (1) types, and (2) specimens showing variation 

 of species and geograjihic and geologic distribution. The contents of thirty-four of 

 these boxes have not yet been determined. 



Two boxc's of I'aleozoic plants. 



Ninety boxes of duplicate Paleozoic plants. 



Two boxes of Triassic fishes. 



Two boxes of Paleozoic fishes. 



One box of Paleozoic Crustacea. 



Three boxes of Upper ("retaceous and Tertiary plants. 



Seven boxes, inchuliug eight hundred and four specimens of plants from the 

 Dakota group, described in Monograph xvii. United States Geological Survey. 

 One hundred and twenty-five of these specimens are types, and fifty-five were 

 figured in the Monograph. 



The motive of the donor in presenting this material, as stated by 

 himself, was the belief that this disposition of it would best fulfill his 

 purpose in the formation of the collection, which was to accumulate as 

 complete a series as possible of the older fossil flora for use in paleon- 

 tological research. No conditions were imposed which would in any 

 way interfere with the proper use of the collection. It was desired, 

 however, by the donor that it should be known as the " Lacoe Collec- 

 tion," and that it should be kept entire, with such additions as might 

 be made to it in the future by further contributions from himself or by 

 the exchange of duplicates. That the material should be made acces- 

 sible to students generally is in accordance with the established rules 

 of the Museum, and that every eftbrt should be made for the proper 

 preservation of so valuable a collection was a foregone conclusion. 

 This collection represents the results of the scientific labors of Mr. 

 La(;oe for twenty years or more. Kot being satisfied, however, witli 

 the time which he could devote to the work in person, he employed col- 

 lectors in various States and in the Canadian Provinces, and also 

 expended large sums of money in the ])urchase of private collections. 

 About seven hundred and fifty published types are embraced in that 

 portion of the collection which has been described. The series illus- 

 trating the mor])hology of species and their geographical and geolog- 

 ical distribution includes over seventeen thousand specimens. While 

 the collection represents more thoroughly than any other in existence 

 the fossil flora of the Pennsylvania anthracite regions, there are, in addi- 

 tion, good series from Illinois, Tennessee, Missouri, and other States, as 

 well as from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Brazil. Besides the 

 plants from the Paleozoic formations, there are examples of the Creta- 

 ceous and Tertiary flora of Colorado, a series of Triassic and Paleozoic 



