TJw Goicsis of iJic United States National Mnsnivi. 117 



a system of s^cneral cxchaiij^es would be entered upon as soon as the Institution 

 should be able to mature a plan for that purpose. Under this assurance, and inde- 

 pendently of it also, it should be added, valuable collections of various kinds have 

 already been received by the Institution, which is thus already placed in a position 

 which makes it incumbent on us to redeem the pledge that has been given. The 

 committee consider it superfluous to dwell upon the advantages of exchanges ; but 

 they wish the members to know that for this object they have already in hands the 

 most abundant materials — materials which are increasing and will continue to 

 increase everyday. These materials consist of contributions made by members, by 

 individuals who are not members, by societies and institutions at home and abroad, 

 and by foreign governments, as well as of those accessions that have been made by 

 the Exploring Expedition, which has already sent home an inexhaustible quantity 

 and variety of duplicates. It is well known to the Institution that the collections 

 received from all these sources are equally and absolutely the property of the Gov- 

 ernment, and that therefore the permission of the Government is indispensable to 

 enable the Institution to part with the duplicates derived from all these sources. 

 This permission, it is believed, will be cheerfully accorded. At the same time the 

 committee, for obvious reasons, do not think it proper to ask the Government to 

 allow the Institution to part with any of the duplicates of the Exploring Expedition, 

 until the squadron, shall have returned. 



In reference to the second point, viz ; a plan of exchanges, the committee do not 

 feel called upon or competent to enter into details. These must be left in a good 

 degree to those whom the Institution may see fit to charge with the execution of the 

 plan, in which of course they will be governed by the practice of other institutions, 

 and by such regulations as it may become expedient to adopt from time to time to 

 suit our own convenience and peculiar circumstances. Here, however, on the 

 threshold of the plan which the committee mean to propose, they regard it of con- 

 sequence to suggest for the sanction of the Institution, that in exchanges of all kinds, 

 the natural productions of oi;r country shall first and always have a decided prefer- 

 ence. A great and leading design of the National Institution is to explore and 

 develop our own resources, and to study and describe the natural history of the 

 United States. To this end our exertions must principally be directed. It should 

 be the pride of all connected with or interested in a National Institution to see every 

 State in the Union fully represented in a National Cabinet, established at the seat of 

 Government. This method, while it recommends itself to us and our interests, is 

 calculated to extend benefits and encouragement to the societies and naturalists of 

 our own country, who will thus have a central depository, from which they may 

 enlarge and vary their own collections ; and thus, also, in due time, the duplicates 

 of the Exploring Expedition may, with the greatest advantage, be diffused through- 

 out the land, thereby fulfilling, in the amplest manner, the intentions of those who 

 projected, and justifying the liberality of the Government which sanctioned that 

 noble project. 



With these preliminary remarks, and under the restrictions which are embraced in 

 them, the committee recommend — 



First. That a system of exchanges be entered upon without delay. 



Second. That the Curator and assistants be directed, for this purpose, to separate 

 all duplicates, except those from the Exploring Expedition; and that they select and 

 label such specimens as are to be sent to individuals or societies. 



Third. That the first step taken be to discharge the obligations of exchange 

 already incurred by the Institution. 



Fourth. That a committee be appointed, to whom the Curator shall submit all sets 

 of specimens thus set aside for any given exchanges, who shall decide upon the 

 equivalency, before .said specimens shall be boxed up and sent off. 



