1867.] SENATE— No. 52. 5 



immense alcoholic collections from Brazil, which required 

 immediate attention to secure them against loss. Indeed, he 

 would have been quite incompetent to the task single-handed, 

 and has to thank Colonel Lyman who, during six weeks, worked 

 with him several hours daily, as well as Mr. William James 

 and Mr. Shaler, for their most efficient assistance. But for 

 their co-operation it would have been impossible to put the bulk 

 of the collections in safety before the beginning of warm weather, 

 during which this kind of work is necessarily suspended. With 

 their assistance no less than 323 kegs and barrels have been 

 transferred to fresh kegs, with fresh alcohol, and 75 boxes 

 of dry specimens assorted since the beginning of this year. 

 Mr. Sceva also unpacked the collection he brought home 

 himself, and Mr. Hartt did the same for the collections which 

 arrived at the time of Professor Agassiz's return. This leaves 

 still about sixty kegs and cans yet unpacked, and which, although 

 received before the date of this Annual Report, cannot be num- 

 bered among the additions of this year, which stands unrivalled 

 in the history of the Museum. An idea of the magnitude of 

 our new stores can be formed from the fact that in the class of 

 fishes alone no less than 50,000 specimens were actually counted, 

 representing over 2,200 species, the majority of which, say 

 2,000, are probably new to science and to our collections. This 

 estimate does not include the smaller specimens, less than two 

 inches in length, which also number many thousands. All 

 classes did not share in proportion, but the fishes and reptiles 

 alone form additions which might be the basis of a large museum. 



The different departments have remained in charge of the 

 same assistants as during the past year ; Messrs. Uhler, 

 Anthony and Shaler having the care of the articulata, 

 mollusca, and palaeontology, while the remaining classes have 

 been under the charge of A. Agassiz. 



During the past year the second number of the Illustrated 

 Catalogue, the North American Acalephse, by Mr. Alexander 

 Agassiz, has been published and distributed abroad, through 

 the agency of the Smithsonian Institution. It has also been 

 sent in this country to most of the principal libraries, societies 

 and individuals whom the volume might interest. The distri- 

 bution of the first number, among individuals and scientific soci- 

 eties, has already borne fruit in numerous additions to our 



