REPORT UPON THE CONDITION AND PROGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES 

 NATIONAL MUSEUM DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 

 1886. 



In the report now presented, which relates to the year ending with 

 Jane 30, 1886, it was my intention to have presented a general review 

 of the history of the Museum, and of its several departments. The 

 publication of this historical sketch will, however, be reserved for pre- 

 sentation at some future time. 



LIST OF ERRATA. 



Page 33, for "Berdell," read " Rerdell." 



Page 56, for "T. T. Lamb," read "T. F. Lamb." 



Page 56, for " H. M. Meling," read " H. M. Mailing." 



Page 60, for " Prof. I. H. Morrison," read " Prof. J. H. Morrison." 



Page 108, for " J. U. Johnson," read " J. W. Johnson." 



Page 253, For "Rufus W. Deering," read "Romyn Hitchcock." 



Page 432, for " 6(.a(5vois" read " dtaftacis." 



„*.^*. « v uviv.ug iv mo vjuiucu duties, wiiiuu may oe mtne city of Wash- 

 ington," should be delivered to the Eegents of the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution, and, together with the new specimens obtained by exchange, 

 donation, or otherwise, should be so arranged and classified as best to 

 facilitate their examination and study.* 



It was not until 1858 that the actual custody of the "National Cabi- 

 net" was assumed by the Regents, and appropriations were made by 

 Congress for its maintenance. During the twenty-three years which 

 followed, the collections were greatly increased and were made the 

 subjects of numerous important memoirs upon the natural history and 

 ethnology of America. The public halls, with their arrangements for 

 the exhibition of a portion of the collections, also received a due share 

 of attention, and a reasonable amount of instruction and pleasure was 

 afforded to visitors. The appropriations however were small, the space 

 limited, and the staff so inadequate, that little could be done except to 

 keep the collections in a good state of preservation. 



* An act to establish the Smithsonian Institution " for the increase and diffusion of 

 knowledge among men." (Approved August 10, 1846 ; Revised Statutes, Title LXIII, 

 sections 5579-5594.) See also Revised Statutes, section 5586, and Statutes Forty- 

 fifth Congress, third session, chap. 182, p. 894. 



3 



