REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 53 



tributors will be referred to hereafter, under the head of special 

 departments of the museum, as well as in the alphabetical list of 

 '' additions to the museum." 



d. OTHER PORTIONS OF THE WORLD. 



The year 1856 has witnessed the safe and successful return of the 

 two naval explorations sent out in the early part of 1853^ and dili- 

 gently occupied ever since in fulfilling the objects of their mission. 

 These were, the expedition for the survey of the China seas and 

 Behring Straits, (first under command of Oapt. C. Ringgold, United 

 States navy, and subsequently under Capt. J. Rodgers, United States 

 navy.) and the expedition for the exploration of the La Plata and 

 its tributaries, under Capt. T. J, Page, United States navy. 



The Behring Straits expedition, accompanied by Wm. Stimpson as 

 zoologist and Charles Wright as botanist, visited the island of Ma- 

 deira, Cape of Good Hope, China seas, Japan, Kamtschatka, Behring 

 Straits, and the coast of California, returning from Tahiti, via Cape 

 Horn, in the very short time of seventy-four days. The natural 

 history results were of great magnitude, filling many boxes and 

 barrels, and embracing very many new and rare species. Some idea 

 of the value of the collection may be formed from the following brief 

 enumeration of the animals brought home : 



Vertebrata 846 species. 



Insects 400 '' 



Crustacea 980 " 



Annileds 220 " 



MoUusca 2,359 " 



Radiata 406 " 



Total 5,211 " 



Of these, it is probable that more than one-half are undescribed. 

 The plants have not yet been assorted, but it is believed that they 

 will be not inferior in extent to the animals. They occupy in the 

 original boxes and bales a bulk of over 100 cubic feet. 



Mr. Wright left the vessel at San liVancisco, and returned via Nic- 

 aragua. He there made a valuable collection of plants and animals, 

 but was prevented from completing his explorations by the internal 

 troubles of the country. He has since gone to Cuba, to investigate 

 the botany of that island. 



It may be proper to remark here^ that the whole of a very rich col- 

 lection of invertebrates made in the Arctic seas was dredged from 

 the vessel under the immediate superintendence of Captain Rodgers 

 himself, while the scientific corps was engaged in another portion of 

 Behring's Straits. 



The exploration and survey of the La Plata and its tributaries, 

 under Captain T. J. Page, though consisting of but a single steamer, 

 the Water Witch, of only 400 tons, and unprovided with naturalists, 

 has yet accomplished much for natural science in the collection of very 

 full series of the birds, reptiles, fishes, insects, and plants of the 



