REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 39 



tions. Of these, over one hundred species have already been received, 

 and others are hereafter expected. 



The iishes of Bermuda are represented in a collection made by Mr. 

 G. Brown Goode, in behalf of the Wesleyan University at Middletown, 

 by which institution it was presented. 



Other notable additions to the collection of fishes consist in speci- 

 mens of the turbot, the sole, and the brill, of Europe, obtained through 

 Messrs. Middleton and Carman, of New York, for the purpose of show- 

 ing the relationship of these well-known food-fishes with our owu. 

 These specimens have been cast in plaster, and will shortly be placed 

 on exhibition. 



Quite a number of single specimens of various kinds have been re- 

 ceived in exchange from European museums, although nothing specially 

 noteworthy, with the exception, perhaps, of a collection of minerals 

 from the salt- mines near Cracow, in Austria, presented by the Univer- 

 sity of Cracow, through Professor Att. Of contributions from other 

 regions outside of North America, by far the most interesting represen- 

 tation is that of New Zealand, as furnished by the Canterbury Museum 

 at Christ Church, in charge of Dr. Julius Haast. This embraces sev- 

 eral complete skeletons of the giant fossil-birds of New Zealand, spe- 

 cies, in comparison with which, the ostrich is but as a chick to a hen, a 

 height of 15 feet, with other dimensions proportionate, being attained 

 by several of the species. There is also in this collection a very good 

 series of New Zealand birds and many specimens of ethnology in the 

 form of implements of stone and bone, and other objects from the shell- 

 heaps of the ancient Maori inhabitants, who were cotemporaries of the 

 giant birds, (the mOas,) and the remains of whose feasts contain frac- 

 tured moa bones in great numbers. 



Systematic summary. — Having thus given an account of the more 

 important collections received during the year in their geographical 

 relationships, a brief recapitulation by systematic arrangement may not 

 be uninteresting. 



The department of ethnology is one which has received the most va- 

 ried and extended contributions during the year, due largely to the fact 

 that special effort has been directed by the Smithsonian Institution in 

 the way of circulars to correspondents, and otherwise, to induce the 

 makiug of such collections, while in preparing instructions to the Gov- 

 ernment expeditions this subject has been dwelt upon particularly. 



Eeference has already been made to the prehistoric remains collected 

 by Mr. Ball in Alaska, and by Mr. Schumacher in Oregon, and to those 

 of more modern times furnished by Mr. Swan from Washington Terri- 

 tory and Queen Charlotte's Island, while the objects brought by Major 

 Powell from the Colorado Biver, are of unusually great extent and 

 value. Every State in the Union, however, has been represented to a 

 greater or less extent in the form of stone-axes, pipes, pottery, &c. The 



