ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 21 



several specimens of unusual value, together with his entire col- 

 lection, made during the long period of his association with Mr. 

 Auduhon. 



Various collections, including several hundred specimens from 

 the Museum of the celebrated ornithologist M. Temminck, of Ley- 

 den, as well as a large number from the British Museum, making 

 an aggregate of several thousands, have been obtained through 

 the exertions of Mr. Edward Wilson, and are now in the cases. 



Mr. E. L. Kern has deposited many valuable specimens, col- 

 lected in the various expeditions of exploration under the com- 

 mand of Colonel Fremont. 



Nearly 1,000 specimens, collected in the interior of India, by 

 Captain Boys, of the British army, many of which are new and 

 rare, have also been received. 



Valuable contributions to this department have been made by 

 Colonel George A. McCall, TJ. S. Army. 



In the month of December, 1851, the collection of Mr. John 

 Krider, consisting of 2,000 specimens, was procured by Dr. 

 T. B. Wilson, and is now in the hall. 



Arrangements have been made in Europe, to add still whatever 

 may be new or rare in ornithology. 



The collection is estimated to contain at this time 27,000 speci- 

 mens ; of these not less than 22,000 are displayed in the cases, 

 to which number additions are made almost daily. Of very many 

 genera all the species known are exhibited ; but, until the classi- 

 fication and catalogue are completed, the precise number of 

 species cannot be readily ascertained. 



Mr. John Cassin is constantly employe4 in arranging this truly 

 magnificent collection. He is preparing an exact catalogue of 

 all the species, not simply by making a list of names attached to 

 them, but by careful study and comparison, ascertaining precisely 

 the species of every individual specimen, without relying upon 

 the label attached to it in any case. The labor involved in this 

 work cannot be duly appreciated except by those who have been 

 occupied in a similar task. Catalogues of three families of birds 

 thus scrutiniziugly prepared, in which the synonymes of each 

 species are given with the authorities for them, have been pub- 

 lished with the "Proceedings of the Academy;" and similar 

 catalogues of other families are nearly ready for the press. From 

 the printed catalogues, the following summary is deduced, which 



