Rl.POKT OF DEPABTMEN1 OP ENVEBTEBBATE P088ILS 217 



and explorations. A few of these have perhaps been lost, and 



BOme have never reached the Museum. They alSO contain so large a 



number of authentic specimens of other species, that resort to the othei 



great collections Of th€ Country is Seldom necessary. SO far as North 

 American forms are concerned. 



The collections that are now being added to the Museum, together 



with those which it already possesses, are to be the standards of refer- 

 ence for the national geological work, and it. is therefore essentia] thai 

 provision be made for their safety and accessibility. The Museum work 

 of my division is very much retarded for want of suitable room in which 

 to work and suitable cases in which to arrange the specimens. So great 

 is the want in this respect that we often find it impracticable to get 

 access to the material which it is necessary to study; ami the collec- 

 tions are also inaccessible to other naturalists who may desire to study 

 them. Convenient access at all times to the collections is necessary. 

 because questions are constantly arising in the progress of the Govern- 

 ment geological work which can be solved only by their aid. It may be 

 mentioned, however, as an encouraging fact, that the more important 

 part of the collections is comparatively safe, so far as danger of their 

 destruction is concerned. 



