8 [Assembly 



obtained by securing animals which are hunted for the bounty 

 offered by the State, and by appealing to the generosity and state 

 pride of sportsmen. There are many cabinets in Europe which 

 are deficient in the animals of our forests, rivers and lakes, 

 from which valuable specimens might be obtained by a system 

 of mutual exchange. 



The department of conchology has never been full, and has 

 hitherto been but imperfectly arranged. We are indebted to Dr. 

 William Nevvcomb of this city for its beautiful arrangement, and 

 for more than two hundred specimens from his own extensive 

 collections. A large addition is expected, through the influence of 

 Dr. Newcomb, from Mr. Cuming of England, who holds the 

 largest collection that has ever been gathered. 



The arrangement of the departments of geology and mine- 

 ralogy will soon be completed. The advancing progress of 

 discovery is constantly adding new species of fossils to those 

 which were before known. The zeal of the present curator has 

 supplied many deficiencies ; and the provision which is made for 

 collecting fossils for description in the fourth and fifth volumes 

 of the -Palaeontology of the State, will, on the completion of that 

 work, make the collections of this State of great fullness and 

 value. In this department our system of exchange will bring 

 rich returns, and will furnish to the student the most valuable 

 means of comparing the formations of our own State with those 

 of other parts of the world. 



Within a few months, a large collection, gathered in the Geo- 

 logical Survey of Great Britain, has been received from Sir 

 EoDERicK MuRCHisoN, the eminent head of that survey. We hope 

 soon to be able fully to reciprocate this liberality, by sending in 

 return duplicates of the fossils of this State. 



The Eegents have been greatly desirous of obtaining the means 

 of exhibiting the natural resources of the State, in their appli- 

 cation to economical purposes. It is believed that persons engaged 

 in converting materials found in the earth into objects of utility 

 and beauty, will readily contribute whatever maybe desirable; 

 and that at small expense a collection in economic geology may 

 be made, which will so exhibit our natural resources as to be a 

 just subject of pride to the citizens of the State. 



