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  and 
  very 
  few 
  collections 
  are 
  made 
  with 
  a 
  view 
  to 
  the 
  examination 
  of 
  

   the 
  interior 
  or 
  more 
  vital 
  parts. 
  To 
  the 
  palaeontologist 
  the 
  interior 
  of 
  

   the 
  shell 
  is 
  often 
  of 
  more 
  real 
  importance 
  in 
  his 
  investigations 
  than 
  a 
  

   perfect 
  specimen 
  ; 
  since 
  this 
  part 
  may 
  reveal 
  to 
  him 
  characters 
  more 
  

   reliable 
  and 
  more 
  constant 
  than 
  the 
  exterior. 
  The 
  same 
  is 
  true 
  of 
  other 
  

   fossils 
  ; 
  whatever 
  exhibits 
  the 
  internal 
  characters 
  and 
  arrangement 
  of 
  

   parts 
  is 
  very 
  desirable 
  in 
  an 
  extensive 
  and 
  permanent 
  collection, 
  for 
  

   these 
  furnish 
  at 
  once 
  points 
  of 
  comparison 
  -very 
  conclusive, 
  regarding 
  

   the 
  identity 
  or 
  difference 
  of 
  similar 
  fossils. 
  Every 
  collector, 
  therefore, 
  

   should 
  understand 
  that 
  those 
  fragments 
  showing 
  internal 
  structure 
  in 
  

   fossil 
  bodies, 
  are 
  worthy 
  of 
  preservation, 
  and 
  even 
  when 
  these 
  char- 
  

   acters 
  are 
  apparently 
  unallied 
  to 
  any 
  other, 
  they 
  are 
  nevertheless 
  im- 
  

   portant 
  in 
  extensive 
  comparisons. 
  I 
  might 
  instance 
  the 
  columns 
  of 
  

   crinoidea, 
  which 
  occur 
  in 
  fragments 
  in 
  all 
  our 
  strata. 
  These, 
  when 
  

   studied, 
  furnish 
  illustrations 
  of 
  the 
  highest 
  interest, 
  and 
  we 
  are 
  often 
  

   able 
  to 
  connect 
  with 
  certainty 
  the 
  veriest 
  fragment 
  with 
  the 
  perfect 
  

   form 
  by 
  a 
  minute 
  internal 
  characteristic. 
  Lest 
  there 
  be 
  not 
  observed 
  

   in 
  this, 
  some 
  important 
  result 
  besides 
  the 
  scientific 
  value 
  and 
  interest, 
  

   I 
  may 
  mention 
  what 
  every 
  collector 
  knows, 
  that 
  the 
  locations 
  of 
  perfect 
  

   specimens 
  are 
  few, 
  while 
  those 
  of 
  fragments 
  and 
  detached 
  parts 
  are 
  

   numerous. 
  Now 
  it 
  is 
  important, 
  upon 
  economical 
  considerations, 
  to 
  be 
  

   able 
  to 
  recognize 
  fossils 
  by 
  fragments, 
  or 
  from 
  some 
  zoological 
  charac- 
  

   ter, 
  that 
  in 
  seeking 
  for 
  valuable 
  beds 
  we 
  may 
  know 
  our 
  proximity 
  

   thereto, 
  not 
  only 
  from 
  the 
  occurrence 
  of 
  perfect 
  fossils, 
  but 
  from 
  the 
  

   fragments 
  which 
  are 
  preserved 
  in 
  the 
  more 
  numerous 
  localities. 
  

  

  Since 
  New-York 
  must 
  always 
  remain 
  the 
  classic 
  ground 
  for 
  the 
  study 
  

   of 
  the 
  geology 
  and 
  palseontology 
  of 
  the 
  older 
  rocks, 
  no 
  other 
  coun- 
  

   try 
  having 
  so 
  perfect 
  a 
  development 
  of 
  the 
  systems, 
  it 
  is 
  important 
  

   that 
  the 
  State 
  collection 
  should 
  contain 
  the 
  most 
  perfect 
  and 
  authen- 
  

   tic 
  collection 
  of 
  these 
  as 
  of 
  the 
  other 
  productions 
  of 
  her 
  territory. 
  I 
  

   would 
  appeal, 
  therefore, 
  to 
  the 
  patriotism 
  of 
  our 
  citizens 
  to 
  consider 
  the 
  

   interests 
  and 
  wants 
  of 
  this 
  collection 
  before 
  they 
  dispose 
  of 
  their 
  beau- 
  

   tiful 
  specimens 
  to 
  private 
  collections 
  which 
  can 
  never 
  be 
  permanent. 
  

   As 
  an 
  encouragement 
  to 
  those 
  who 
  have 
  already 
  spoken 
  to 
  me 
  on 
  this 
  

   subject, 
  expressing 
  hopes 
  of 
  the 
  permanent 
  care 
  and 
  preservation 
  of 
  

   this 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  collection 
  and 
  who 
  have 
  been 
  only 
  waiting 
  such 
  an 
  ar- 
  

   rangement 
  to 
  contribute 
  specimens, 
  I 
  may 
  say 
  that 
  the 
  collection 
  has 
  

   recently 
  been 
  placed 
  by 
  the 
  Regents 
  of 
  the 
  University, 
  in 
  the 
  charge 
  

   of 
  Mr. 
  John 
  Gebhard, 
  Jr., 
  of 
  Schoharie, 
  whose 
  quiet 
  zeal 
  and 
  untiring 
  

  

  [Nat. 
  Hist.] 
  12 
  

  

  