Custodian.] 22 [May 6, 



ington, C. K. Landis, C. A. Stearns, G. L. Vose and D. Well- 

 ington and the Smithsonian Institution. 



The Mineralogical collection is in good condition, but 

 inany changes of arrangement will doubtless be required on 

 the publication of the new edition of Dana's Mineralogy. 

 New floor cases have been provided for the metallurgic 

 and economic department, in place of the old table cases so 

 ill-suited to the exhibition of specimens, and the rearrange- 

 ment of this division has progressed so rapidly that its com- 

 pletion is anticipated within a few weeks. The change will 

 add greatly to the instructive character of the collection as a 

 whole, and render it much more interesting to visitors gen- 

 erally. About 2,500 minerals are now on exhibition. Dona- 

 tions have been received from Miss L. Blaikie, Drs. F. H. 

 Brown, C. T. Jackson, J. B. S. Jackson and J. W. Merriam 

 and Messrs. B. W. Baldwin, D. F. Carleton, J. W. Clarke, 

 G. C. Lane, W. H. Logan, J. J. May, O. S. Presbrey, C. J. 

 Sprague and C. A. Stearns. 



In closing, I wish to call your attention to a point of great 

 importance, connected with the administi'ation of the mu- 

 seum. The Annual of the Society, which will be placed in 

 your hands in a few days, contains a short sketch of the 

 history of the Society, showing from what slight beginnings 

 the present Institution has arisen. The small collections, 

 received at first, had a certain charm of novelty which at- 

 tracted the lovers of nature, and were undoubtedly a princi- 

 pal means of sustaining the interest of its members; but the 

 times have greatly changed; for, while the number of mem- 

 bers who give their personal attention to the care of the 

 collections is scarcely greater than in former years, the col- 

 lections have increased an hundred fold, and the ratio of 

 increase does not seem to lessen. Now it is manifestly im- 

 possible for such a state of things to continue, if the museum 

 is to maintain an appearance creditable to the name and 

 honor of the Society. On this account, several years ago, 



