
1869.) SENATE—No. 60. 19 
have none, you will propose to him exchanges on the most liberal 
‘terms for whatever he has that is wanting in our Museum. 
“While in Philadelphia, make it also your business to visit the 
Academy of Natural Sciences, and identify there whatever original 
‘specimens may be in their museum. Do not neglect to interest 
Mr. Tryon in your work. He cannot fail to see the advantages 
that will accrue to Conchology from your errand, and as editor of 
the Conchological Journal, assist you as far as he can. Try to 
obtain from him, also, original specimens of all the species he has 
himself described, or descriptions of which are contained in his 
journal. 
“]T shall want you also to visit other cities in which valuable col- 
lections exist, especially New York, that you may do the same 
work there for the collections of various collectors in that city; and 
afterwards Amherst College, to compare the specimens described 
by Adams; and then Chicago, to see the originals of Stimpson’s 
species; not forgetting Albany, which has been so fortunate as to 
secure Dr. Gould’s collection; but with regard to these I shall 
write you more fully when the proper time comes.” 
In conformity with the foregoing instructions, I made a jour- 
ney to New York and Philadelphia, which occupied several 
weeks, and during that period examined more or less in detail 
the several collections alluded to, gaining thereby much useful 
information connected with my department. This visit, how- 
ever, could only be considered a preliminary one, several visits 
being required to fully carry out all the suggestions contained 
in the instructions. It was made, moreover, at a time of the 
year when short days and cloudy weather formed strong 
impediments to a critical examination of species, and a subse- 
quent visit, which was arranged to take place last May, was 
prevented by sickness. The plan, however, has not been aban- 
doned, but will continue to be borne in mind and steadily pur- 
sued to completion. 
In order to be prepared to carry out these instructions 
properly, much time has been devoted to mounting shells 
already on hand, by which means we have attained a better 
knowledge of our collection and of our wants. The number of 
tablets thus mounted is already very large, amounting to over 
17,000 at the present time, and will be greatly increased during 
the coming year. 
