THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 31 



7,949 cross-references — the whole number of volumes catalogued being 

 32,986. This number, according to Professor Jillson's report, em- 

 braces all the volumes which were in the library at the time the cata- 

 logue was commenced, with the exception of the law department, the 

 bound volumes of tracts, and some incomplete works. It also in- 

 cludes the additions made in the general library to chapters 1st, 2d, 

 3d, and 4th, previous to April, 1855, the additions to the different 

 chapters previous to the time they were catalogued, and at least one- 

 half of the additions made during the past year. The whole amount 

 expended on the preparation of the 15,885 titles is $4,9*71 07, and 

 that of stereotyping about 4,000 titles, $2,974 91. This is exclusive 

 of the expense incurred by the Institution in making the experiments 

 on the stereotyping process, and the cost of the press, type, general 

 apparatus, fixtures, &c. 



The appropriation made by Congress has been exhausted, excepting 

 $54 02. 



Museum. — The specimens of natural history which have been re- 

 ceived during the past year have been very numerous and of great 

 value, the number of distinct contributors amounting to 130. As in 

 former years, the most valuable additions have been received from the 

 officers engaged in the various scientific expeditions of the govern- 

 ment. An illustration of the extent of our receipts during the year is 

 exhibited in the fact, that the specimens of mammals alone amount 

 to 2,500. 



The following is a general summary of the present state of the col- 

 lections : The number of jars- containing specimens of mammals in 

 alcohol is 350: of birds, 39; of reptiles, 3,344; of fishes, 4,000; of 

 invertebrates, 1,158; of miscellaneous, 28; making a total of 9,171 

 jars. Most of these contain a number of specimens ; and there are 

 about 30 barrels and cans filled with other specimens, which have not 

 yet been assorted. There are also 1,200 prepared mammals, 4,425 

 birds, and 2,050 skulls and skeletons generally. 



It is no part of the plan of the Institution to form a museum merely 

 to attract the attention and gratify the curiosity of the casual visitor 

 to the Smithsonian building, but it is the design to form complete col- 

 lections in certain branches, which may serve to facilitate the study 

 and increase the knowledge of natural history and geology. 



Though the statement may excite surprise, yet I may assert, on the 

 authority of Professor Baird, corroborated by the opinion of others well 

 qualified to judge, that no collection of animals in the United States, 

 nor, indeed, in the world, can even now pretend to rival the richness 

 of the museum of the Smithsonian Institution in specimens which tend 

 to illustrate the natural history of the continent of North America. 



Not only have representatives of animals of every part of the country 

 been obtained, to illustrate the entire American fauna, but also sj>eci- 

 rnens of the same animal, from different parts, have been procured, in 

 order to determine the geographical distribution of a species. 



Of the vertebrate animals, there is scarcely a known species not al- 

 ready in the collection, while of those which have not yet been criti- 



