8 KEPOET OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1888. 



uals is proportionately larger. The actual value of sucli coutributious 

 for ten years past, has not, it is estimated, fallen short of $20,000 a year, 

 and in some years has been greater. 



Among important gifts may be mentioned such as the George Catlin 

 Indian Gallery, of inestimable value to the American historian and eth- 

 nologist ; the Eiley collection of North American insects, the finest in 

 existence, containing 150,000 specimens, and easily worth $50,000; the 

 collection bequeathed in 1887 by the late Isaac Lea, of Philadelphia, 

 containing besides minerals and other objects, about 20,000 concholog- 

 ical specimens, and appraised by the State at $10,000 5 and the collec- 

 tion of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, for the transfer of 

 which from Philadelphia to Washington, a special appropriation was 

 made by Congress. 



Some exceedingly valuable collections in this country and in Europe 

 have been bequeathed to the Smithsonian Institution which have not 

 yet come into its possession. Within the past ten years it is estimated 

 that individuals to the number of at least a thousand have made gifts 

 to the Museum to the value of $100 or more. 



Of the fourteen hundred and eighty-two separate lots of specimens 

 received within the past fiscal year at least one thousand were gifts, 

 from nearly as many individuals — some of little value, others very 

 important. 



Not a day passes during which some stranger, pleased with the work 

 of the Museum, does not voluntarily send in some contribution more 

 or less important. 



The National Museum now contains about 2,900,000 objects, distrib- 

 uted among the various departments, as is shown in the table on page 

 22, of this report. 



The late Professor Baird was once asked whether the value of the 

 collections in the National Museum was equal to the amount which had 

 been expended in its maintenance. He replied, unhesitatingly, that al- 

 though it would be by no means a fair criterion of their value he did 

 not doubt that by a judicious and careful system of sale the entire sum 

 could be recovered. 



One of the most striking features in the affairs of the Museum is the 

 manner in which its collections are increasing. 



In 1887 the number of specimens was more than ten times as great 

 as five years before. 



In the last fiscal year twenty-five thousand new lots or groups of 

 specimens were entered upon the Museum catalogue. 



This increase, as has been shown, is in large degree spontaneous, only 

 a small amount of money being available for the purchase of new 

 material. 



As might be supposed, a considerable proportion of the objects given 

 duplicate material already on hand, and although these contributions 

 can with the utmost adv^antage be used for distribution to other 

 museums and schools, they do not increase as much as is desired the 



