32 TENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF 



cally studied, there are probably a large number which hare never 

 been scientifically described. 



These specimens have not, up to this time, been exhibited to the 

 public, for want of suitable cases, in the large room, to properly dis- 

 play them; but they are accessible to those who are pursuing original 

 investigations, during nearly the whole year. They have almost con- 

 stantly been used for this purpose, by a succession of individuals en- 

 gaged in the preparation of reports for the government, or the study 

 of particular branches of natural history. 



It is a part of the plan to give encouragement and assistance to 

 original investigations, and persons who visit Washington for the 

 purpose of studying the collection are furnished with all the facilities 

 which the Institution can afford, and these, in the specimens, instru- 

 ments, and the ample library of reference, are already such with re- 

 gard to certain branches as cannot elsewhere be obtained. 



The use of the specimens is not confined to persons who visit 

 "Washington, but, in accordance with the general policy of the In- 

 stitution, they are sent to individuals who are engaged in the study 

 of particular classes of animals, and with this view a large number 

 of duplicates are in almost every case obtained. A considerable por- 

 tion of the materials of the great work now in preparation by Agassiz 

 will be derived from this Institution, and it is considered an import- 

 ant part of the duty of the directors to induce persons to undertake 

 the study of special branches of natural history, and to afford them 

 the means of its successful prosecution. For example, one of the 

 researches of Dr. Leidy has been thus undertaken ; and Dr. Jeffries 

 Wyman, of Cambridge, is now engaged in the study of the peculiar 

 character of the batrachian animals, and of the anatomical structure 

 of the undeveloped organ of sight of the blind fish of the mammoth 

 cave, and he has been supplied, for this purpose, with a large number 

 of specimens of each of these animals by the Institution. In most 

 cases of this kind the results of these investigations are published in 

 the Smithsonian Contributions ; though this is not strictly required, 

 it being considered sufficient that full credit be given for all that has 

 been contributed at the expense of the Institution. 



The labor necessarily expended in unpacking, assorting, and label- 

 ling the specimens has been very great ; and when to this is added 

 the constant care required for the preservation of so many objects of 

 a perishable character, the cost of the maintenance of an extended 

 museum must be evident. 



A large number of the specimens now in the museum have been 

 procured by the several expeditions under the general government ; 

 and as in but few cases an appropriation has been made for their 

 preservation, the expense of this has fallen on the Institution. 



For a detailed account of the present condition of the collections, 

 and the operations in the museum during the past year, I must refer 

 to Professor Baird's report, herewith transmitted. Besides the re- 

 searches mentioned, a number of explorations in natural history 

 have been undertaken. The most important of these is that of Cali- 

 fornia, by Mr. E. Samuels, under the patronage of this Institution and 

 the Boston Society of Natural History. He expects to remain on the 



