[108] 52 



5. INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC EXCHANGES, 



The Smithsonian Int^titution muy f!o greal .service to the cause of science, 

 by serving as the medium through \\hich applicntions for exchange or pur- 

 chase of specimeuS of natural history between American and European col- 

 lections may be interchanged. This does not necessarily involve an active 

 part in regard to the specimens themselves, although in some instances such 

 agency may be undertaken. There are many individuals in this country 

 who have it in their power to procure duplicates of objects of natural his- 

 tory in their immediate vicinity, which they would gladly exchange for 

 those from other localities, at home or abroad. By encouraging such to 

 make known their flesiderata and duplicates, and registering these system- 

 atically, information might be immediately returned as to the best mode of 

 procuring the one and disposing of the other, as well as of sending and 

 receiving the parcels involved. In fact, numerous applications of the kind 

 have been already received from individuals both in Europe and America, 

 and an exchange satisfactory to both parties instituted. Lists of persons 

 making such applications might be published in the annual reports, and 

 thus brought within the cognizance of all. 



Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 



SPENCER F. BAIRD. 



APPENDIX A. 



AN ACCOUNT OF NATURAL HISTORY EXPLORATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES, 



DURING 1851. 



By Prof. Spencer F. Baird. 



Explorations under direction of the Topographical Bureau. — Natural 

 science in America, almost equally with geographical, is under the great- 

 est obligations to the Topographical Bureau, now under direction of Col. 

 J. J. Abert, for additions to her domain. I need only mention in former 

 years, the travels of Long, Nicollet, Emory, Fremont, Abert, Simpson, &c. 

 The expeditions returned or commenced in 1851, will, when their results 

 are published to the world, bear ample witness of even an increasing zeal of 

 the officers of this bureau for the furtherance of natural science. 



The first to be noticed is the expedition of Captain Howard Stansbury 

 to the unknown region of the Great Salt lake. This talented officer, assisted 

 by Lieutenant Gunnison, of the same corps, and Albert Carrington, esq., 

 Salt Lake city, after having spent many months in their explorations, re- 

 turned last winter with a rich stock of material. Highly interesthig col- 

 lections of animals and plants, many of them quite new were obtained, 

 and much light thrown upon the subject of geographical distribution. Col- 

 lections of fossils and rocks were also made, sufficient to cast a ray of light 

 upon the geology of this remote region. The entire results of the expedi- 

 tionwill be published during the present session of Congress, and will be 

 accompanied by numerous plates of new animals, plants and fossil remains, 

 as well as by maps and sketches of sceneiy. • The report on the geology 



