42 REPORT OP THE SECRETARY. 



immense series of specimens, whether onl}'' temporarily lent or de- 

 posited permanently, (but the latter out of all proportion to the for- 

 mer,) in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution, gives him au 

 advantage, such as probably no other ornithologist of what country 

 soever has at any time previously enjoyed; and the professor, as our 

 readers need not be told, is not the man to neglect opportunities of 

 this kind. We are almost inclined to regard this work as the pre- 

 cursor of a new era in natural history. Hitherto a zoologist has 

 thought he has done very well if he has closely examined some half 

 dozen specimens, presenting the different appearances depending 

 upon age, sex, or the like, of one species. He will now find, from 

 an inspection of Professor Baird's labors, that an acquaintance with 

 a much larger number of individuals, especially from different local- 

 ities, is requisite if he intends to advance his science. One result of 

 this attention to increased material, if generally followed, we suspect 

 will be the very desirable one of nullifying the species makers — 

 species makers, of course we mean, in a bad sense, for there are no 

 more useful men, if they will but keep their hobbies under com- 

 mand." 



From the limited funds of the Institution and its plan of organiza- 

 tion it cannot afford to support individuals while they are devoted 

 exclusively to the advance of any branch of science; and were this 

 to be done in one case, it might be demanded in many. But there 

 can be no objection to an officer of the Institution availing himself of 

 the materials which are gathered through its agency for prosecut- 

 ing as an extra labor any investigation to which he may be inclined; 

 provided that at the same time he faithfully discharges all the essen- 

 tial duties which pertain to his position. In the preparation of the 

 work above mentioned every facility has been given to Professor Baird 

 which the establishment could afford, and with this view special 

 attention has been paid to the collection of specimens of ornithology, 

 with the view that, after this work has been completed, similar atten- 

 tion will be given in succession to other branches of science. 



Another paper in the Miscellaneous Collections is entitled 

 Researches upon the Hydrobiinas and allied forms, chiefly from mate- 

 rials in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution, by Dr. William 

 Stimpson. This memoir gives the results of an investigation relative 

 to the structure of a group of small and little known fresh- water Gaster- 

 opods, which Dr. Stimpson had undertaken to study with a view to their 

 classification and arrangement in the museum of the Institution. Un- 

 der the name of Gasteropods are included mollusks, with a distinct 



