The Genesis of the United States Na(io)ial Museum. 167 



be arranged, to which Colonel Totten has generously added his entire cabinet. ^Tlie 

 extensive collection which accompanied the Smithsonian bequest has been often 

 noticed, and we pass it by without further remark at present than to testify to the 

 beauty and interest of its specimens. In addition, there are 27 boxes from the Iowa 

 Territory, enclosing specimens from the lead and copper mines, and others elucidating 

 its general geological structure, collected by the able geologist of that region, Mr. 

 D. D. Owen. A fine suite of Ohio fossils has been received from Mr. Locke, of Cin- 

 cinnati, comprising numerous species of trilobites. A rare collection of bones of 

 mammoth size, the remains of a megatherium, an extinct animal, was lately obtained 

 atSkiddaway Isle, Georgia, and y thelibertyof Doctor Screven, of Savannah, are now 

 in the Hall. Other packages have been received from M. C. Buck, William A. Irvin, 

 Robert Brown, Captain R. Latimore, I). A. Buckley, of Jacksonville, Illinois; Fr. 

 Markoe, jr., of Washington; J. M. Allen, of Albany; M. vStrong, of Vermont; Martin 

 Johnston, INIr. Ziegler, Joseph Willett, of Maryland; J. I. Greenough, Professor U. 

 Parsons, Mr. Mecklin, of Maryland; G. R. Gliddon, consul in Lvgypt; W. L.'Ames, 

 of New Jersey; Doctor J. H. Caustin, C. D. Barton, of New York City; William M. 

 Mitchell, of Virginia; Doctor Lewis Sayinsch, and O. Root, esq., of Syracuse, New 

 York. Specimens are constantly arriving, and now, after the late circulars issued 

 by the several Departments of Government to our military and naval ofTicers and 

 consuls, they may be expected in still greater numbers. 



After arranging the expedition specimens, there will be one case and a part of 

 another for all the mineral collection, the Iowa geological specimens, and the many 

 others in our possession. With the exception of the minerals, for which there i.s 

 scant room, the whole must remain closed. 



The importance of these sciences, and the interest of the country in its mineral 

 resources, make it desirable that .some plan like the following should be adopted, 

 and as soon as may be carried into execution: There should be a complete collection 

 of minerals, systematically arranged, comprising specimens from all countries, and 

 illustrating fully every branch of the science. For geology — in the collections of 

 which are included rock specimens, fossils, soils, and whatever may illustrate the 

 formation of our globe, the changes in its progress, its present condition, and min- 

 eral or agricultural resources — I would suggest that, in addition to cases for foreign 

 geology, there be a special case set aside for each State in the Union, to contain 

 specimens of all its productions, mineralogical and geological. This plan car- 

 ried out, a single walk through the Hall would convey the information of years of 

 travel; the mineral wealth of each State would be open for inspection, and the 

 nature of their productions and their comparative value might at once be read off. 

 Those interested in coal explorations would find here the series of rocks which, in 

 other States or regions, are associated with this mineral and indicate its presence ; and 

 near by those rocks also which by .some resemblance have so often led to fruitless 

 explorations ; the true and the false might be readily compared, and, with the definite 

 information contained, treatises on this subject, before scarcely intelligible, could be 

 read with profit. The same with the ores of iron, copper, lead, gold, silver, etc., and 

 the various materials used in building, .soils, etc. 



Such an arrangement, embracing within its plan every part of our country, will 

 enlist exertions as widely extended ; and we may confidently believe that the titles 

 New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, etc., inscribed on the respective cases, would not 

 long stand over empty shelves. Indeed, for .some States, a second and a third case 

 might soon be required. The Iowa case could now be filled and a commencement 

 might be made with the case for New York, also that for Ohio, Virginia, Maryland, 

 Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and New Jer.sey. As geological .surveys are in progress 

 in many vStates, or have been completed, there will be little difficulty in general in 

 obtaining complete suites for the National Institute. The corals in the Hall, with few 

 exceptions, were received from the I'lxploring I^xpedition. The collection is exten- 

 sive and possesses peculiar interest inasmuch as the species are mostly from seas that 



