44 REVIEWS REPORT OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 



perfumery, aud sheets of popular music. The cost of postage, clerk 

 hire, certificates, shelf^room, dec , of these, far exceeds the value of 

 the good works received.. Indeed, all the books published in the 

 United States, which might be required for the Library, could have 

 been purchased for one-tenth of what has been expended on those 



obtained by the copy-right law Included in the additions 



to the museum during the last few years from Government exploring 

 parties and private individuals, have been a number of living animals. 

 Among these were two bald eagles, an antelope, monkeys, rEiccoons, 

 two wild cats, a jaguar, and a large grizzly bear, the latter from the 



Rocky Mountains It is neither compatible with the 



means of the Institution nor the duties of the Secretary and his 

 assistants to take the custody of specimens of this character. While 

 such presents evince kind feelings, and are complimentary to the 

 management of the Institution, the expenses of transportation have 

 been in some cases rather a heavy tax, and while we cannot very well 

 refuse donations of this character, they would be much more accept- 

 able were they received free of cost 



The adverse efiects of the early and consequently imperfect legislation 

 ought as far as possible to be obviated, and this could readily be done 

 if Congress would relieve the Institution from the care of a large 

 collection of specimens, principally belonging to the Grovernment, 

 and purchase the building to be used as a depository of all'the objects 

 of natural history and the fine arts belonging to the nation. If this 

 were done, a few rooms would be sufficient for transacting the busi- 

 ness of the Institution, and a larger portion Avould be free to be 

 applied to the more immediate objects of the bequest. Indeed, it 

 would be a gain to science could the Institution give away the build- 

 ing for no other consideration than that of being relieved from the 

 costly charge of the collections." 



The remaining or extra-congressional part of the plan adopted by 



the Kegents, and that to which we may assume the main eflorts of 



the Institution will in future be devoted, consists of the following 



, details, having in view (1) the increase of knowledge, (2) its diff'asion 



among men. 



For the first, it is designed to " stiaiulate men of talent to make 

 original researches, by ofi"ering suitable rewards for memoirs contain- 

 ing new truths," and "to apjiropriate annually a portion of the 

 income for particular researches, under the direction of suitable per- 

 sons." When we reflect on the immense success which has attended 

 similar measures in the Prench Academy, the Royal and other 



