The GENESiH OF THE NATIONAL MtLSEUM. 34? 



Ou these aotoui]t.s, as well as betaiise of your position of directors of the Institu- 

 tion, we have now the honor of addressing you. 



The first appropriation of $500 was expended uudet the personal superintendence 

 of the Secretary of War, he apy)roving all accounts; the secohd, under that of the 

 Secretary of the Navy. Bht in tlie course of the liUsiness this duty assumed the fol- 

 lowing form : 



The society appointed a committee to supervise the arranging of the ( ollections. 

 It was the duty of this committee to suggest the expenditures and employments 

 which it considered necessary, to examine into the accounts, and if it found the 

 same to l)e correct, to reconunend them to the approval of the Secretary. Under 

 this system the appropriations have been expended, and the Institution is now with- 

 out further means. 



It is proper to remark that the entire collections of the Institution, as well in books 

 as in specimens of natural history and of the arts, and as well those deposited by 

 the Government as those given by individuals and other institutions and from for- 

 eign governments, will in the end belong to the Ignited States, there being a pro- 

 vision to that effect in the constitution of the Institutiim. The whole can therefore 

 with propriety be considered as public property. 



With this brief exposition we shall now lay before you the state of the affairs of 

 the Institution in reference to the collections, deposits, gifts, and expenditures. 



The entire collecti(Ui is deposited in the ujjper rooms of the Patent Office; it con- 

 sists of: 



Doimtions from foreign governments. 



Donations from other institutions, foreign and domestic. 



Donations from ministers and consuls aliroad, and from f)tiitcrs of our Army and 

 Navy. 



Donations IVom indi^ iduals and fiom members of the Institution. 



The Iowa ccdlection of mineralogical and geological specimens, maile l)y K. K. 

 Owen, esq., under the direction of the Treasury Department. 



The collection of mineralogical and geological specimens which liad bttii in de- 

 posit in the bureau f)f the Corps of Topogra])hical Engineers. 



The collection of portraits of distinguished Indians, aiul the collection of Indian 

 curiosities which had been on dei)osit in the War Department. 



The minerals, books, jiapers, and personal effects of the Smitlisonian ])e(|uest. 



The two shipments which have been received from the exploring siiuadron, con- 

 sisting of minerals, s])eriniens of natural history, works of art, implements of war 

 and curiosities. 



The books, minerals, and Avorks of art belonging to the late Columbian Institute, 



The books, papers, and proceedings of the late American Historical Society. 



Cabinets and specimens, deposited by members in trust, for public use. 



It can not be said that these materials are now arranged. The space which has 

 been appropriated to the temporary use of the Institution — the eastern half of the 

 upper room of the Patent Office — is entirely insufficient for such a purpose, as well as 

 the means and time which have been devoted to them. But as more just conception 

 in those respects, as well as the value of the collections, will be derived from an 

 exhibition in detail of the latter, it will now be laid before you: 



About 1,000 volumes of books and numbers tif pamphlets. 



About 50 maps and charts. 



About .500 castings in plaster, medals, and seals. 



Ten pieces of statuary, marble, or plaster. 



(hie hundred and sixty-eight paintings. 



Aliout 1,600 bird skins, of which rather more than 400 have been cleaned, stuffed, 

 and mounted, and dejiosited in cases, but which yet require eves and to have labels 

 ]>roperly written 'and affixed. They also require to be scientifically arranged, the 

 first labor being necessarily limited to the preparing of the skins and putting them. 



