THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 



21 



LABORATORY OF NATURAL HISTORY 



It should be understood that the Smithsonian Institution does not enter upon 

 grounds already occupied, and therefore it is not an object to collect specimens 

 promiscuously, or those usually found in other museums. Hence the collection of 

 this Institution is not attractive to the general visitor and curiosity seeker; but the 

 student of natural history will here find much that will be sought in vain else- 

 where. Duplicate specimens are often exchanged for those in other collections, 

 and all the objects are open for the study and examination of those engaged in 

 this line of research. Applications for such facilities are numerous, and have al- 

 ways been granted. The preparation of most of the important papers on natural 

 history published within a few years in this country has been aided in this way 

 by the Institution. 



The act of Congress establishing the Institution provides as follows : 



SEC. 6. That, in proportion as suitable arrangements can be made for their reception, all 

 objects of art and of foreign and curious research, and all objects of natural history, plants, 

 and geological and mineralogical specimens belonging, or hereafter to belong, to the United 

 States, which may be in the city of Washington, in whosesoever custody the same may be, 

 shall be delivered to such persons as may be authorized by the Board of Regents to receive 

 them, and shall be arranged in such order, and so classed, as best facilitate the exam- 

 ination and study of them, in the building so as aforesaid to be erected for the Institution ; 

 and the Regents of said Institution !?hall afterwards, as new specimens in natural history, 

 geology, or minerology, may be obtained for the museum of the Institution, by exchange of 

 duplicate specimens belonging to the Institution, (which they are hereby authorized to 

 make,) or by any donation, which they may receive, or otherwise, cause such new specimens 

 to be also appropriately classed and arranged. 



