44 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



of the civilized world, wherever natural history is cultivated, the 

 name of the Institution has become familiar as a household word. 



The distribution will be continued during the present year, pro- 

 vided no unforeseen event should occur to interrupt the operations 

 now in progress. 



Iluseum. — Considerable advance has been made during the year 

 in improving the condition of the specimens for public exhibition in 

 the museum. It is intended to label each article distinctly and ac- 

 curately; but, although much labor has been expended on this work, 

 it cannot be fully accomplished until all the specimens shall be 

 thoroughly examined and properly described. A large number of 

 additions has been made to the museum, and many imperfect speci- 

 mens replaced by those of a better character. 



During the past year Washington has been visited by a greater 

 number of strangers than ever before since the commencement of its 

 history. The museum has consequently been continually thronged 

 with visitors, and has been a never-failing source of pleasure and in- 

 struction to the soldiers of the army of the United States quartered 

 in this city or its vicinity. Encouragement has been given them to 

 visit it as often as their duties would permit them to devote the time 

 for this purpose. 



Exclianges. — The system of exchanges has continued during the 

 past year to be the principal means of communication between the 

 scientific societies of the Old World and those of the New. As might 

 have been expected, however, the number of copies of works sent 

 abroad in 1861 was less than that of the previous year. The whole 

 number of packages containing books, pamphlets, &c., sent abroad 

 during the year was 1,099, containing, at least, 10,000 separate arti- 

 cles. The number of packages received in return, for societies in this 

 country, exclusive of those for the Institution, was 1,406, which, on 

 an average, would amount to upwards of 7,000 separate articles. 

 During the same period there have been received by the Institution 

 for its own library 2,886 books and other publications. 



In return for the generous assistance the Institution has received 

 in carrying on this system of exchange, it is proper to repeat what 

 we have stated in previous reports, that the Cunard steamers be- 

 tween New York and Liverpool, the North German Lloyd between 

 New York and Bremen, the Hudson's Bay Company, the Pacific Mail 

 Steamship Company, and Panama Railroad Company, have carried 



