1864.] SENATE— No. 22. 13 



of duplicates, large as it is, consists chiefly of undigested 

 materials, frequently even of undescribed species ; and it was 

 desirable that whatever was sent forth from our establishment 

 should have a special scientific value, and be particularly 

 acceptable to other establishments ; nay, if possible, so desirable 

 for them that they should be induced to make continued effort 

 to keep up the intercourse. To attain this end I directed all 

 the assistants in charge of special departments to pay particular 

 attention to the identification of the specimens to be exchanged, 

 and to label them in such a way that no mistake could occur. 

 In cases where it appeared especially important, I had even the 

 labels signed, in testimony of the trustworthiness of the identi- 

 fication. And to add to the authenticity of all these precau- 

 tions, I caused a bulletin to be printed, in which the species so 

 identified should be enumerated, and the new ones so far char- 

 acterized as to prevent confusion for the future. I submit the 

 first parts of this bulletin, which embrace the Fishes, Echino- 

 derms and Corals, selected from the duplicates for distribution 

 by Mr. F. W. Putnam, A. Agassiz, and A. E. Verrill. Without 

 expressing an opinion upon the merits of this scheme, I may 

 be permitted to add, that I would gladly accept a large reduc- 

 tion in the amount of returns made to us, if I could induce 

 the owners of original specimens to send to our Museum 

 specimens identified with the same care as ours are. From 

 the Jardin des Plantes in Paris I met with the most friendly 

 response to my proposition for exchanges of original specimens, 

 and I have already received several invoices from Professors 

 Milne-Edwards and Valenciennes. The same good-will and 

 readiness have also been shown by the directors of the 

 museums in Montpelier, Stuttgardt, Darmstadt, Copenhagen, 

 and Vienna. Other arrangements are now pending, or in 

 progress of execution with the museums of Ley den, Strasburg, 

 and others. 



Exchanges with private individuals are also carried on very 

 extensively, as the special Reports concerning the different 

 departments of the Museum will show. 



Among the collections received and acknowledged in the 

 special Reports herewith submitted, there are some which 

 deserve a special mention ; such are the invoices of Rev. J. C. 

 Fletcher, Mr. Bourget, Dr. Brunet, Dr. Wucherer, Mr. A. de 



