45 [ 1 ] 



bertson, anl especially to Mr. Alexamler Culhertson for their valuable 

 services. The latter S2;entleinaii bore the entire expense of the trip from 

 Fort Pierre to the Mauvaises Terres, besides paying a considerable smu 

 to hunters and others for many of the specimens sent. 



The second expedition referred to as undertaken by myself, had mainly 

 for its object the investigation of the ichthyology of Northern New York and 

 Vermont. With three companions, in the months of July and August last, 

 I visited the northern shores of Lake Champlain, the valley of the Upper 

 Hudson, Lake George, the St. Lawrence river, lake Ontario and Seneca 

 lake. 



In tiiis trip many sjiecies of animals, ajid especially of- fishes, both de- 

 scribed and undescribed, were obtained, and many interesting tacts as(^-^r- 

 tained with re'rard to their g-eoo-niphical (listri!)ution. A remarkable new 

 genius of Cottoid lishes (Triglopsis,) discovered in late Ontario, will shortly 

 be published by tlie Institution, in a monograph prepared by Mr. C. GIrard. 



I beg leave in conclusion to present some general suggestions in regard to fu- 

 ture operations of the Smithsonian Institution, in the department of Natural 

 History. It is a fundamental principle in its organization, as presented in 

 the programme ajid in your iumual reports, not to attempt co nplete col- 

 lections of all natural objects, but rather to gather up such materials for 

 investigation as have been comparatively neglected by others. It may, in- 

 deed, be desirable, for purposes of general examination, to have extensive 

 series of specimens from the three kingdoms of nature — animal, vegetable, 

 and mineral, so far as they can lie procured and exhibited without umlue 

 expense of time, money and space. For the present, however, attention 

 should be directed mainly to such branches as hitherto may not have had 

 tlieirdue share of attention. 



A prominent object in making collections shouhl be to furnish to 

 travellers the means of deter nining the character of objects collected in 

 various parts of North America. 



Hitlrerio, o.'iicers of the army returning to Washington have generally been 

 obliged to send or c irry t'lese objects out of the city, for the purpose of 

 identi.'ication or veri'ic ition, thus involving a considerable loss of time 

 and credit. These specimens becoming widely scattered, rarely return 

 hither, and when another occasion arises, the whole labor has to be 

 repeated. By retaining them here and combining with them such series 

 of specimens from North America, and other parts of the world, as may 

 be specially procured far the purpose, vei-y li'tle delay in miking uf) 

 reports, need hoi-eafler arise. It will, of course, be necessary to call 

 in the aid of the library in procuring all the general and special works 

 v/hich may be required in these investigations. Towards such help the 

 rich collection of transactions of learned societies, alrea;ly in the library of 

 the Institution, and augmenting daily, will greatly tend. 



Collections illustrating the general Natural History of North America, 

 become then, an object of primary importance. Much valuable material of 

 this kind is now on hand, and mucli, it is hoped, will be procured in th(r 

 various ways hereafter specified. An exceedingly important aid to this is 

 furnished by the act of Congress establishing the Smithsonian Institution 

 which specifies that all objects of Natural History belonging, or hereafter 

 to belong to the United States, in whosoever custody the same may be, 

 shall be delivered to such persons as are authorized by the Board of llegents 

 to receive them. This entrusts to the Institution the custody of all col'ec- 



