REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 31 



from the contributions of special correspondents of the Institution, and 

 by exchange. Nothing has been added in the way of direct purchases. 

 While most large museums, such as the British Museum and those of 

 Paris, Beiiiu, and Cambridge, Mass., &c, depend principally upon pur- 

 chases for increasing their collections, the National Museum, without 

 funds at its disposal for such purpose, has not yet felt the need of them ; 

 the collections received from the sources mentioned, free of cost other 

 than that of mere transportation, being quite as great as the means of 

 preparation and preservation will allow. 



In addition to the number of donations, the entries in the record- 

 books of the museum during the year 1873 will indicate approximately 

 the extent and nature of the increase; the total number of entries dur- 

 ing the year amounting to 10,601, or 33 per cent, more than those 

 of 1872; the largest number, that of birds, amounting to 3,232 spec- 

 imens; of fishes, 2,756; of ethnological specimens, 1,475; and of min- 

 erals, 941. This, however, does not represent accurately the num- 

 ber of separate specimens, as many objects of the same kind and from 

 the same locality are often included under a single entry. Many addi- 

 tions during the year, especially of shells, minerals, and fishes, are yet 

 unrecorded. 



The total number of entries to the end of the year amounts to 187,453, 

 filling thirty large folio ledgers. As might be expected, the principal 

 sources of supply have been from American localities, the United States 

 especially, although some objects of interest have been received from other 

 parts of the world. The special object has been to bring together as com- 

 plete an exhibition of the natural history and ethnology of America as the 

 available means would permit. Should Congress at any future time de- 

 cide to increase the scale of operations so as to enable the establishment 

 to vie with such museums as those of London, Paris, Berliu, Vienna, &c, 

 the framework of the present organization can be readily expanded so 

 as to cover a much wider field. At present the available space for 

 exhibiting specimens is occupied to its utmost extent, and but a portion 

 of the collections actually within the walls of the Institution can be 

 exhibited to the public. The remainder, however, are in such a condi- 

 tion as to be available for the study of specialists whenever they may 

 find it necessary to examine them. 



For the better understanding of the character of the collections re- 

 ceived in 1873, a general sketch is given with reference to the regions 

 whence they were derived, to be followed by an enumeration, in syste- 

 matic sequence, of those of the most importance. 



Of comparatively slight extent, yet perhaps of greater interest from 

 their historic associations than any others, are the collections made 

 during the eventful voyage of the Polaris, under Captain Hall, to 

 the northern regions. This expedition, fitted out by the Navy Depart- 



