JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. 157 



either so far in advance of the received scientific principles of the day 

 or so far behind them that the two M^ere out of all harmony with each 

 other ; that it would be impossible to obtain a favorable report in regard, 

 to them from any commission composed of men of scientific reputation ; 

 that he would, however, suggest that the mauscripts be deposited in 

 the archives of the Institution, free of access to any who might wish 

 to consult them with the proviso that no extracts be taken from them 

 without full credit being given to the name of the author. This sug- 

 gestion was favorably received by the author. 



On motion of Mr. Stevenson, it was 



Besolved, That the action of the Secretary in relation to the Korner 

 manuscripts be approved. 



The Secretary stated that, in accordance with the policy of the Insti- 

 tution to enter into harmonious relations with other establishments in 

 this city, as had already been done by depositing the plants and insects 

 in the Department of Agriculture, the skulls in the Army Medical Mu- 

 seum, «&c., he desired to enter into friendly relations with the Corcoran 

 Art-G-allery, of which he had recently been elected a trustee. He 

 thought that, inasmuch as this gallery had been opened to the public, 

 and had been established with a permanent endowment, larger even than 

 that of the Smithsonian Institution, it was proper that some of the ar- 

 ticles of art now in the building should be deposited in the Corcoran 

 Gallery, subject, of course, to the order of the regents. 



On motion of Mr. Hamlin, it was 



Eesolvedj That the Secretary be authorized to deposit in the Corcoran 

 Art-Gallery^ to be reclaimed at anytime, such works of art belonging to 

 the Institution as may be approved by the executive committee. 



The Secretary presented his annual report of the operations of the In- 

 stitution for the year 1873, which was read j and 



On motion of Mr. Hazelton, 



Eesolved, That the report of the Secretary be accepted and transmit- 

 ted to Congress as usual. 



The Secretary stated that during the past year Mr. P. T. Barnum had 

 presented the National Museum with the following valuable specimens 

 of natural history, viz: A Malayan tapir, a Bactrian camel, a dromedary, 

 an African panther, a Florida manatee, an Indian rhinoceros, a man- 

 drill, and others, furnishing the means of preparing both their skeletons 

 and mounted skins. He had also i)romised to give the Institution the 

 bodies of all the animals that die in his menagerie. 



On motion of Dr. Parker, it was 



Eesolved, That the thanks of the Board of Eegents be tendered to P. 

 T. Barnum,' esquire, for his liberal donation of the bodies of animals to 

 the I^ational Museum, which form a very important addition to the col- 

 lection of specimens necessary to illustrate the science of zoology. 



