DEPARTMENT OF FOSSIL PLANTS. 187 



of so great a collection, numbering about 100,000 specimens, is a matter 

 involving much embarrassment in the way of space and study facili- 

 ties, it being agreed in the terms of the gift that this collection, to be 

 kept entire and known as the •• Lacoe Collection," shall, together with 

 all future additions, either by exchange or gift of the donor, be kept in 

 order and made accessible to scientists and students without distinc- 

 tion, under such proper rales and restrictions ;is may be necessary for 

 the preservation from loss or injury of the specimens. 



As constituted at present the collection consists of: (1) Types and 

 study specimens; (2) Fine exhibition slabs and specimens; (.">) Boxes 

 containing (a) unstudied and (b) duplicate material. The area required 

 by the first class, making no allowance either for the future accessions 

 or for new material to be found in the boxes not yet examined, amounts 

 to over 1,000 drawers of the size in ordinary use in the Museum. The 

 exhibition material will occupy about 2,100 square feet. Of the bal- 

 ance of the collection, about 80 boxes, a portion only will require 

 drawer space, while the remainder may be labeled and made in some 

 way accessible as exchange material. 



Arrangements were made whereby, in January and February of this 

 year, Mr. David White, assistant paleontologist in theU. S. Geological 

 Survey, spent four weeks in Pittston engaged in work preliminary to 

 the transfer of the collection. Among the boxes brought back was a 

 small portion of the type and study exhibition material. Two eases of 

 exhibition material have been arranged and labeled by Mr. White, and 

 they now stand in the central rotunda. 



The remainder of the cases brought from Pittston include a large 

 quantity of material more or less thoroughly studied by Prof. Lesque 

 reux and supposed to represent species either new to science or not 

 before found in this country. Most of these unpublished specimens 

 examined by Prof. Lesquereux are accompanied by MS. in various 

 stages of completion, or notes with some illustrations. All this new 

 matter, together with the plants in question, has been placed by Mr. 

 Lacoe in the hands of Mr. White, who will assist him in revising, veri- 

 fying, and completing the posthumous work for publication. Much 

 time and labor will be necessary in the preparation of the MS. and 

 additional drawings for the publication, which should appear as soon 

 as possible, before this portion of the collection is ready for enrollment 

 on the Museum register. Owing largely to tailing health during the 

 last years of Prof. Lesquerenx's scientific labors a considerable time 

 will need to be spent in going through the collection in a scrutinous 

 review. This task, along with the identification of a large quantity oi 

 new material, probably requiring five or six months, it is the donor's 

 desire to have accomplished before the entire collection is removed 

 and enrolled on the Museum books. It can probably be best done in 

 Pittston, where Mr. Lacoe w ill be at hand to furnish any needed geo- 

 graphical or stratigraphical information. 



