1 68 Memorial of George Brown Goode. 



have seldom contributed to the cabinets of this or any country. The various cruises 

 of the vessels among the numerous Pacific islands afforded unusual opportunities for 

 the collection and examination of these singular forms of animal life, and much that 

 is novel has been brought to light with regard to the structure of coral islands, the 

 growth of corals, the nature and forms of the animals that deposit them (of which 

 a large collection of drawings has been made), besides discovering many new species 

 and correcting some errors in former descriptions. The number of species brought 

 home is not less than 250, and if to this be added the smaller corallines it will 

 amount to above 350, besides 50 species of still inferior grade of organization, the 

 sponges. The corals now occupy two cases, which are barely sufficient to receive 

 them. A separate case of West India corals might soon be filled, as we may expect 

 large collections through the exertions of the officers of the Navy cruising in those 

 seas. It would be quite important that these productions from the opposite sides of 

 our globe, the East and West Indies, be kept separate. 



The beauty of these collections is sufficient of itself, as is believed, to engage the 

 attention and more than a passing glance or hasty word of admiration. But their 

 interest is greatly enhanced when it is considered that thousands of square miles of 

 land have been added to our globe by the labors of the minute coral builder, and 

 that seas have been studded with islands that otherwise would have remained a waste 

 of waters. 



Before closing this communication I may add a word on the Crustacea in the Hall, 

 which department fell into my hands in the expedition and comes uiider my charge 

 also at the Institute. The collection now arranged includes about 650 species, nearly 

 all of which are from the Exploring Expedition. The whole number of species col- 

 lected and examined during our cruise is not far from 1,000, more than half as many 

 as the whole number known. Of these, 500 and upwards, have been figured ; and not 

 less than 450 out of the 500 are new species, besides many others in the collection not 

 yet particularly examined. About 250 species are oceanic and belong to genera of 

 which not over 30 species are known, affording, as is thus seen, a great number of 

 novelties to be brought out in the publications of the Expedition. The most of these 

 oceanic species are microscopic, generally less than a tenth of an inch in length. 

 Although so minute, they sometimes swarm in such numbers as to give a red tinge 

 to the ocean over large areas. While at Valparaiso, the sea for miles to the south- 

 ward appeared as if tinged with blood, owing to the myriads of these minute Crus- 

 tacea. Some species are so transparent that, vinder the microscope, all the processes 

 of vital action, the motion of every wheel in the complex organization of animal 

 life is open to view, exhibiting many novel facts, curious and important to the 

 physiologist. 



The arrangement of the Expedition specimens may be completed in the space that 

 we now occupy, but the addition of such American and foreign specimens as will 

 gradually collect around this nucleus will finally extend the collection over double 

 its present area. 



Very respectfully, 



James D. Dana. 



novkmber, 1842, 



DEPARTMENT OF PHILOLOGY AND ETHNOGRAPHV. 



One of the sciences which have of late years attracted an increasing attention, and 

 one which from its subject would seem to claim a peculiar regard, is what may be 

 termed the Natural History of the Human Race, or, as vSome have named it, anthro- 

 pology. It divides itself naturally into various branches, possessing distinct names 

 of interest, and requiring different methods of study. One of them, and that, perhaps, 

 to which the Institute will be able to contribute most largely, treats of the manners 



