22 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1884. 



for the New Orleans Exposition, were erected in July between the Mu- 

 seum and the Annex building. 



The need of an additional Museum building is each year more se- 

 riously appreciated. Yery many objects of great interest and requir- 

 ing a large space for their accommodation have been promised by ex- 

 hibitors at New Orleans, and it is a serious problem to know where 

 these can even be stored, aside from the possibility of properly display- 

 ing them. 



Extensive collections of alcoholic specimens are known to greatly 

 endanger the safety of museum buildings and their contents, and most 

 of the establishments in Europe have lately taken the precaution to 

 construct separate buildings peculiarly adapted for the purpose. It is 

 sincerely hoped that the application which was made at the last session 

 of Congress tor an appropriation to put up a similar building in the 

 grounds of the Institution will be acted upon favorably. 



D.— REVIEW OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE WORK OF THE 



YEAR. 



11. ACCESSIONS TO THE MUSEUM. 



The total, number of packages recorded by the registrar during the 

 year was 5,507. In addition to this number, 209 wagon-loads of boxes, 

 packages, &c, were received and distributed to the several depart- 

 ments. Of the entire number, 3,509 packages, boxes, &c, were ad- 

 dressed to the National Museum and its officers, the remainder being 

 intended for the Smithsonian Institution and the United States Fish 

 Commission. 



The registrar of the Museum acts also in the capacity of transporta- 

 tion clerk for the Smithsonian Institution, and much material passes 

 through his hands with which this report has no concern. The total 

 number of individuals and institutions sending collections to the Mu- 

 seum, as shown in the list published in the appendix to this report, is 

 1,084. 



It should be stated that very many of the objects sent in by the 

 correspondents of the Museum are of very little value, and are trans- 

 mitted simply for the purpose of obtaining a report upon their names 

 and character. It has been the policy of the Smithsonian Institution 

 to receive all objects offered which have any relation to its work, since 

 the majority of such contributions, after they have been identified and 

 studied, are valuable for exchange or distribution to museums and in- 

 stitutions of learning, and often prove to be of unexpected importance. 

 Many of the specimens sent in for examination and report are entirely 

 useless. It is hardly proper, therefore, to consider each one of the 3,500 

 packages received as constituting an important contribution to the col- 

 lections. Many of them, however, contain specimens of great value. 



