24 A NOTICE OF THE 



scribed in his work on "American Herpetology ;" and donations 

 have been received, at different times, from Mr. James Read, Mr. 

 W. S. Vaux, Mr. Isaac G. Strain, U. S. Navy, Mr. B. M. Nor- 

 man, Dr. Goheen, Dr. C. W. Pennock, Dr. Goddard, Dr. Rey- 

 nell Coates, Mr. J. H. Couper, Dr. G. Watson, Dr. Hallowell, 

 Mr. W. L. Bispham, Mr. Saml. Ashmead, Mr. Ed. Donnelly, Dr. 

 Ruschenberger, Mr. W. L. Jones, of Georgia, and others. In 

 January, 1851, Professor Franklin Bache presented the collec- 

 tion of reptiles made by the late Dr. Jacob Green. 



There are in this department of the museum 1,056 glass jars, 

 or bottles, containing species in alcohol, and 159 dry prepara- 

 tions. The number of specimens is estimated at 2,000 ; but the 

 number of species has not been ascertained.* There is also a 

 small collection of eggs of reptiles. 



This cabinet, it is believed, will compare favorably with any 

 in the United States, and is not surpassed by many in Europe. 



5. C02JCHOLOGY. 



The collection of shells and mollusks is placed in the east base- 

 ment-room. 



According to an estimate made in 1837, this department con- 

 tained 2,000 species. " The Academy is under particular obli- 

 gations to Dr. Burrough, Dr. Ruschenberger, Captain Land, Mr. 

 Poulson, Mr. J. K. Townsend, Mr. Nut-tall, and Mr. and Mrs. 

 T. Say, for their contributions to the series of marine shells. 

 An interesting part of the collection is formed by the fresh-water 

 and land shells, collected and presented by Col. Long, Dr. Bur- 

 rough, Mr. Conrad, Mr. Lea, Mr. Hyde, Mr. J. M. Earle, Mr. 

 J. Ronaldson, Dr. Hildreth, and Dr. Pennock."f 



Since the publication of the above statement, the collection of 

 shells has been very much augmented. 



In the year 1849, Dr. R. E. Griffith presented more than 

 12,000 specimens, of 4,907 species of shells, which he had col- 

 lected, during a long series of years, at very considerable cost 



* In December, 1848, the number of species was, batrachia, 120; 

 eauria, 150 ; ophidia, 242 ; chelonia? (not stated.) 



f Notice of the Academy of Natural Sciences. By Samuel George 

 Morton, M. D. Fourth edition, 1837. 



