EEPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 43 



work requires a critical knowledge of each particular class of speci- 

 mens, and consequently the co-operation of a number of experienced 

 naturalists, each of acknowledged authority in his special department. 



The assortment and labelling of the larger part of the shells is still 

 in progress under Mr. Philip P. Carpenter, of Warrington, England, 

 assisted by Dr. Alcock. Certain marine families have been sent to 

 Professor Agassiz; a part of the fresh water shells has been named 

 by Mr. Isaac Lea, of Philadelphia; another part by Mr. W. G. Bin- 

 ney, of New Jersey; another class of mollusks has been consigned to 

 Mr. Busk, of England; and a third has been sent to Dr. Steenstrup, 

 of Copenhagen. 



The botanical collection is still in charge of Dr. Torrey, of New 

 York, and Dr. Gray, of Cambridge. 



The rocks and minerals have been partially labelled by Mr. Thomas 

 Egleston, late a pupil of the School of Mines, Paris, who will probably 

 finish the work during the present year. 



The insects have been referred to Baron ' Osten Sacken, Dr. 

 LeConte, Dr. Loew, Dr. Hagen, Dr. Morris, Dr. Clemens, Mr. Ulke, 

 Mr. Uhler, and Mr. Edwards. 



Certain classes of the mammalia have been examined by Dr. J. H. 

 Slack and H. Allen, of Philadelphia; the birds by Mr. John Cassiu, 

 *Mr. Elliott Coues, Dr. Bryant, and Mr. George N. Lawrence; the rep- 

 tiles by Mr. E. D. Cope; the fishes by Mr. Alexander Agassiz, Mr. 

 F. W. Putnam, Mr. Theodore Gill, and students of Professor Agassiz; 

 the Crustacea by Mr. Ordway and Mr. W. Stimpson; the radiata by 

 Mr. Verrill and Mr. Stimpson; the fossils by Dr. Newberry, Mr. 

 Meek, Dr. Hayden, and Dr. Gabb. 



The whole of this part of the general business of the Institution 

 has been, as heretofore, under the special charge of Professor Baird, 

 to whose detailed report I would refer for a more particular account 

 of these operations. From his report it will also be seen that the 

 Institution has already distributed upwards of 80, 000 specimens of 

 natjjral history, and when it is recollected that each of these has been 

 properly labelled and referred to printed lists, some idea of the 

 amount of labor and time which has been expended on this work may 

 be formed. 



Type series of these specimens have been presented to the prin- 

 cipal museums of Europe, and to the different societies for the pro- 

 motion of natural history in this country. In every part, therefore, 



