1869.] |  SENATE—No. 60. 37 
the Museum, has been constantly borne in mind, and actually 
carried into execution as rapidly as the advancement in the 
arrangement of species has allowed. Reference is made to the 
selection of specimens from this large mass of material, as it 
receives systematic consolidation, for three Museum collections. 
First of all, with a view to the formation of a grand system- 
atic collection, choice has been carefully made of a type-speci- 
men — intended to be the best single representative to be found 
—in each specific group. In all cases, so far as possible, these 
type-examples are authentic specimens selected from the collec- 
tions of the paleontologists who described the species, great 
pains having been taken to secure such specimens. The purpose 
of this assemblage of representative individuals is the presenta- 
tion to the eye, by actual examples, of the true scientific rela- 
tions of the animal kingdom, viewed as a systematic whole, so 
far as they are already recognized, or may from time to time 
come to be known, and to just the extent the additions to the 
Museum will warrant. Of course, in this collection, which is 
designed to be a sort of world in miniature, every species of 
which the institution possesses an authentic example, will be 
represented. 
‘In the second place, specimens are in process of selection, 
from each specific group, for a grand faunal collection. With 
the design of making this assemblage as complete as possible, 
specimens are chosen in sufficient number to show all individual 
and specific characteristics—the relations of sex, with the 
various other points, both of agreement and of variation — as 
well as to illustrate whatever peculiarities have been noticed, or 
may come to light in the process of investigation. At the same 
time, this collection is intended, as its name implies, to demon- 
strate by positive ocular evidence, the geographical limitation 
and distribution of each species, so far as its actual extension 
is indicated, or shall come hereafter to be indicated, by the 
materials at the disposal of the Museum. Of course, this assem- 
blage of specimens, as progress is made in its formation, natu- 
rally divides itself in various more or less distinct partitions, 
according to the regions, basins, or zodlogical provinces to which 
the species respectively belong ; while these as readily subdivide 
themselves into sections answering to the different chronologic 
horizons which they severally represent. In making up this 
