THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 493 



that collections made for the Government shall, when no longer 

 needed for investigations in progress, be deposited in the National 

 Museum. It was found that this law had not in all cases been 

 strictly enforced, and that several important collections had not 

 been transferred to the museum, although some of the earlier ex- 

 ploring expeditions had passed out of existence, and in several in- 

 stances the individuals making the collections had likewise passed 

 away. This investigation has resulted in the transfer to the mu- 

 seum of several car loads of specimens no longer needed elsewhere. 



The National Museum is unique among permanent museums in 

 having large sections of its collections almost constantly away from 

 it. It made displays at London in 1883, at Louisville in 1884, at 

 Minneapolis in 1887, at Cincinnati and Marietta in 1888, at Madrid 

 in 1892, at Chicago in 1893, at Atlanta in 1895, at Nashville in 

 1896, and at Omaha in 1898. The injury to the museum result- 

 ing from the packing and transportation of specimens and from the 

 interruption of systematic work and development has been keenly 

 felt at times by the scientific staff. The advantages have consisted 

 in showing to the people of many sections of the country what the 

 museum is doing, in securing collections that otherwise would not 

 have been obtained, and in extending the educational sphere of 

 influence. 



RELATIONS TO THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. The museum is a 

 child that has by its vigorous growth already overshadowed the 

 parent institution in the extent of its buildings, its expenditures, and 

 its direct influence upon the people of the United States. In the 

 larger fields for which the Smithsonian Institution was organized, 

 for the purpose of increasing and diffusing knowledge among men 

 throughout the world, the museum is subordinate to the institution, 

 and if the latter is administered in the future as it has been in the 

 past, it will continue to hold a unique place among all institutions 

 for the increase and diffusion of knowledge. 



In 1877 Prof. Asa Gray, as chairman of a special committee 

 of the Regents of the Smithsonian, submitted a report which recom- 

 mended that a distinction between the institution itself and the mu- 

 seum under its charge should be made as prominent as possible. The 

 fear was expressed that if the museum was developed to its full 

 extent and importance within the Smithsonian Institution it would 

 absorb the working energies of the institution, and it was thought 

 that such a differentiation would pave the way to entire separation 

 of administration or to some other adjustment, as the Board of Re- 

 gents might think best or be able to accomplish. Professor Baird, 

 in 1878, in his report to the regents, called attention to the frequent 

 mention in the reports of his predecessor of the relations existing 



