REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 63 



MUSEUM. 



ADDITIONS TO THE MUSEUM. 



Extensive as were the additions to the museum in 1858, (exclusive 

 of those transferred from the Patent Office,) those of 1859 have ex- 

 ceeded them in magnitude and extent. The number of separate do- 

 nations amounted to 301, (127 in 1858,) embracing nearly 500 different 

 packages. A detailed list of these donations will be found at the end 

 of this report, to which I would refer, and I will proceed here to 

 mention more in detail such of the collections received as from their 

 importance appear to require it. 



As heretofore, most of the large collections were received from 

 officers in charge of parties under different departments of the gov- 

 ernment. Although the number of these parties has not been as 

 great as in some other years, the results attained by them are in no 

 way inferior in importance. 



EXPLORATIONS UNDER THE WAR DEPARTMENT. 



1. Construction of wagon road from Walla- Walla, Oregon, to Fort 

 Benton, under Lieutenant John Mullan, U. S. A. — This expedition, 

 with Dr. Mullan as medical officer, went to California in the springs 

 by steamer, and thence to Walla- Walla, the starting point. Supplies 

 were sent up the Missouri by the steamers of the American Fur 

 Company of St. Louis, one of which made the first trip through to 

 Fort Benton. The supplies were accompanied by Mr. John Pear- 

 sail, an assistant of Lieutenant Mullan, who made large collections of 

 nests, eggs, birds, insects, and fossils. Collections were also made 

 by Lieutenant Mullan, between Walla- Walla and his winter camp, 

 near Fort Owen, not far from the Bitter Root valley, where he was 

 established at the last advices. 



2. Exploration of the Upper Missouri and Yellowstone, under Cap- 

 tain J. W. Raynolds, U. S. A. — This expedition, accompanied by Dr. 

 Hayden as geologist and naturalist, went up the Missouri in the steam- 

 boat of the Fur Company, in June last, and disembarked at Fort 

 Pierre. From this starting point they proceeded across to the Yel- 

 lowstone, at Fort Sarpy, and thence, after various lateral explora- 

 tions, to their winter quarters on Deer creek, at the crossing of the 

 Platte, about 100 miles west of Fort Laramie, and in the immediate 

 vicinity of the Upper Platte Indian agency, in charge of Major Twiss. 

 During the winter, excursions have been made in different directions 

 for the purpose of geological explorations, and large collections se- 

 cured in all departments of natural history. The collections received 

 in Washington from Captain Raynolds consist mainly of the zoolo- 

 gical series gathered up to the arrival of his party at Fort Sarpy, and 

 embrace specimens of birds, eggs, insects, &c. 



