ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 43 



SUMMARY. 



Mammals .... ' .' ". . ' 636 

 Birds .... VV / /. 27,000 

 Birds' nests * '''.^ '.';; .'- V '?!"/ ''"'I?; 214 

 Birds' eggs . '> '\^'J-'.' "'. ' '' '.' ' ''. . 5,056 

 Fishes . . . ;^' r . ';-" ..''. 1,500 

 Reptiles . .. ~ \' . 'i V"~ - 2,000 



shells ; :j ; v; -.; /.;';;'.. ""''. ; . 25,000 



Insects ;.',;.-_' -:'.. ; ." V : ;\ ; "i/". ." 6,000 



Crustaceans , / ''.' "... ..' ' . 2,054 

 Cirrhopods . ''V. 1 '..-. \ V '" ,' 113 



Annellidans . . ,- v ''!".-.. . . 80 



Echinoderms - I' 4 / v .. ' : ' . 453 



Medusas, Sponges, and Corallines . . 298 



Plants . . . "..'';' . . . 46,000 



Ethnological Specimens .' . '-.. . 1,015 



Comparative anatomy .... 1,720 



Minerals , ' 4,152 



Rocks . ; '. . . .. . . 544 



Possils . : ',' .' .' ' ;. . ., . . 23,518 



Apparatus . . . .... 1,513 



Books (volumes) . /.''.. 13,382 



The Museum contains an aggregate of 148,876 specimens of 

 natural history. 



These statements will convey an idea of the present condition 

 of the Academy, and of the facilities it affords for the study of 

 the various branches of natural science. 



But there are questions yet to answer. Whence sprang this 

 edifice, this centre, from which radiate almost countless paths to 

 truth, leading to every region, to every domain in Nature, acces- 

 sible to the inquisitive impulses of the human mind ? To whom 

 are we indebted for these charts, the buoys and beacon-lights to 

 guide us over the ever-expanding ocean of truth ? To whom do 

 we owe acknowledgments for these means of fathoming the 

 depths of natural science, and of avoiding the rocks of error, as 

 we sail smoothly and in safety, though slowly it may be, on the 

 vast expanse of human investigation, beset by deceptive appear- 

 ances, doubts, and darkness ? 



