REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1908. 15 
bombardment in 1814, and was made memorable as the “ Star Span- 
gled Banner” by the verses of Francis Scott Key. Among other 
loans were several art collections of metal work, porcelain, lacquer, 
ivory, etc., mainly from the Orient; an addition to the exhibit of 
Jewish religious ceremonial objects; and many pieces of china and 
cut glass used at Mount Vernon during the life of Washington. 
In the Department of Biology, the more important accesssions of 
mammals and birds came from Malaysia, the Philippines, and Costa 
Rica. The Bureau of Fisheries transmitted extensive collections of 
fishes and invertebrates chiefly obtained during the exploration of the 
steamer Albatross in the Pacific Ocean. The final division of the 
greater part of the collection of marine invertebrates obtained during 
the early explorations of the Bureau of Fisheries on the Atlantic 
coast, which had been retained for study at the museum of Yale 
University, resulted in the transfer to Washington of over 73,000 
specimens, representing an extremely large number of species and 
including the types of 355 species. The division of insects received 
about 53,000 specimens, mostly American; and the division of plants 
about 25,000 specimens, principally from North and Central America. 
The geological accessions comprised several of exceptional value, 
especially in paleontology. Of fossil invertebrates there were two 
large described collections, containing many types; the material ob- 
tained in the course of explorations of the Cambrian rocks of British 
Columbia and Idaho by the Secretary of the Institution, and of the 
paleozoic formations of Tennessee and Virginia by the curator of the 
division; and important transfers from the Geological Survey. The 
division of fossil vertebrates received two noteworthy additions, one 
consisting of a large number of rare species from various horizons in 
the United States and South America, the other of the remains of 
several species of mammals collected on the Smithsonian expedition to 
Alaska. The department also received several series of rocks and 
ores, a number of rare minerals, and three meteorites. 
The collections of all classes have been maintained in a good state 
of preservation, though lack of space and of a sufficient number of 
expert assistants has rendered it impossible to systematically classify 
and arrange a large proportion of the material. Much important 
research work was carried on and many valuable contributions to 
knowledge were made public. 
In the exhibition halls, which have long been overcrowded, and in 
which the display of new material in quantity is practically dependent 
upon the withdrawal of older collections, some changes and additions 
were made, the latter mainly at the expense of the passageways and 
the convenience of the public, in order to find room for several at- 
tractive loan collections. In this manner the picture gallery has been 
82065—09——2 
