o6 EEPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



studies in Germany, at tlie Mining Academy of Freiberg, having paid 

 special attention to the blow-pipe analysis of minerals. He has rendered 

 efficient service not only in the arrangement of all the minerals of the 

 museum, but in making up sets from the large number of duplicates for 

 distribution to colleges and academies. Previous to the employment of 

 Dr. Endlich, the duplicate minerals and geological specimens were sent 

 to the School of Mines of Columbia Oojlege, New York, where they were 

 examined and made up into sets for distribution, the minerals by Profes- 

 sor Egleston, and the rocks by Professor ISTewberry. In this line the 

 Institution has done good service to the cause of education, and has 

 the capacity of doing much more, provided the small amount of funds 

 required for the purpose be granted by Government. 



The appropriation of Congress has also enabled us to add a perma- 

 nent taxidermist to the establishment, Joseph Palmer, from England, 

 who has not only much improved the condition of the mounted speci- 

 mens previously in the Institution, but, under the direction of Professor 

 Baird, has added a large number of new specimens, especially a series 

 of several hundred plaster casts taken from fresh fish and painted to 

 represent the colored appearance of nature. 



Few persons have any idea of the amount of manual labor necessary 

 to properly sustain a museum in a condition fit for public exhibition. 

 Heretofore, with the limited amount of money which could be expended 

 from the Smithsonian fund, in addition to the $4,000 allowed by Con- 

 gress, it was impossible to keep the specimens in the best condition 

 either for critical study or for popular exhibition. The museum, there- 

 fore, although it has been an object of great interest to the public gen- 

 erally, has not been what we trust it v/ill be in the future. 



The following report of Professor Baird, of the additions to the 

 museum, and the various operations connected with it during the year 

 1873, presents satisfactory evidence of j)rosperity. 



Condition, pi'ogress, and operation of the National Museum during the year 

 1873. — " The record of the National Museum for 1873 is highly satisfactory, 

 showing valuable additions from many parts of the world, and consid- 

 erable progress in the way of reducing its contents to order, and making 

 them serviceable to the cause of science. In no previous year has the 

 number of distinct donations been so great, while the bulk of the parcels 

 received has been almost inconveniently large. The total number of 

 entries is 441, from 241 donors, and embraces 680 packages of dift'erent 

 kinds, the similar figures for 1872 being 315, 203, and 544, respectively. 



A list in the appendix will show in detail what has been actually 

 received, including the names of contributors and the nature of their 

 donations ; the increase being in large part from the collections of 

 different Government exploring expeditions, which by law of Congress 

 are transferred to the Smithsonian Institution for safe-keeping, and also 



