SHELLS, INSECTS, INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY 



CONCHOLOGY 



Early 

 Collections. 



Jay 

 Collection. 



Crooke 

 Collection. 



Steward 

 Collection. 



COLLECTIONS of shells were among the first gifts to be received 

 by the Museum in the early days at the Arsenal, and they 

 soon became one of the chief sources of attraction in the 

 Museum. Early in 1870 one hundred specimens, representing fifty 

 species, were presented by Mr. Albert Storer, and during the same 

 year a collection of land and fresh water shells from Switzerland 

 and Wurttemberg were received from Mr. Frank Daulte; a collection 

 of shells and alcoholic mollusca collected by Professor Bickmore in 

 the East Indian Archipelago ; and the conchological collection gathered 

 and presented by Mr. Coleman T. Robinson, containing about 1,000 

 species represented by about 4,000 specimens. 



These collections formed the nucleus of a Department of Conchology, 

 which in 1874 was firmly established by the acquisition of the Jay 

 Collection of shells, presented by Miss Catharine L. Wolfe as a memorial 

 of her father. It numbered 50,000 specimens and contained 10,000 

 species and many varieties. This collection, with the rare concho- 

 logical library, together known as the "Wolfe Memorial," was formed 

 by Dr. John C. Jay, from whom it was purchased by Miss Wolfe for 

 $25,000. It was exhibited in the Arsenal until the opening of the new 

 building, where it was prominently displayed on the first floor. 



The number of species in the Conchological Department was 

 greatly increased in 1890 when Mr. John J. Crooke presented his valu- 

 able cabinet of land and fresh-water shells, containing about 3,000 

 specimens and 2,300 species. 



A series of marine shells, notable for the beauty and perfection of 

 the specimens, and containing a large number of very rare examples, 

 was presented in 1890 by Mr. D. Jackson Steward. 



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