40 MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. [Mar. 



shells of Massachusetts, &c, &c, and for this reason will be 

 particularly valuable in an institution like ours. 



Our exchanges in this department have not been neglected, 

 and a larger number of packages have been sent abroad than 

 in any previous year. About 20 packages of large size have 

 thus been sent, numbering 1447 species. The contributions 

 received have been from 34 sources, by which we have added 

 1767 species during the current year. These figures do not 

 exhibit a very large increase over the preceding year, but in 

 reality the additions are of far more importance than would 

 appear from the data given, most of the specimens received 

 having been new to our collection, while the few duplicates 

 will be useful in future exchanges. 



Among the contributions received during the past year are 

 some which deserve special notice. From H. Cuming, Esq., of 

 London, we received 90 species, 296 specimens, of rare shells 

 in alcohol, most of them new to our collection in this form. 



Miss C. Dabney also sends us in alcohol 23 species and 88 

 specimens. A fine collection of Bermuda shells was also 

 received from J. M. Jones, Esq. From the Marquis de Folin 

 we have 157 species European shells, in exchange ; also, in like 

 manner, from G. W. Tryon, Jr., Esq., of Philadelphia, over 

 200 species of very desirable shells, mostly West Indian. 



Dr. W. Newcomb, of California, sends us, among other con- 

 tributions, an unusually fine series of 120 species of Achatinella 

 from the Sandwich Islands — these being correctly named, with 

 all their varied and perplexing synonymy, are peculiarly valua- 

 ble ; and in this genus no one has so completely worked out 

 the species and unravelled the synonymy as Dr. Newcomb. 



Other contributions, less numerous in species, but all very 

 acceptable, have been received ; from H. Hammond, 31 species; 

 T. Layard, 42 species ; J. A. Lapham, 22 species ; Prof. Mar- 

 cou, 4 species ; J. G. Shute, 7 species ; Jean Rigacci, 23 species ; 

 J. H. Thompson, 24 species. 



The contributions to the Museum, other than by exchange, 

 have been from the following sources, viz.: J. G. Anthony, 371 

 species ; Alexander Agassiz, 4 species ; Anticosti expedition, 

 58 species ; W. J. Beal, 3 species ; A. S. Bickmore, 14 species ; 

 W. G. Binney, 3 species ; T. Bland, 3 species ; G. N. Davis, 2 

 species ; Joseph Heco, 15 species ; C. F. Hartt, 28 species ; 



