36 MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. [Apr. 



views than have always prevailed of the formation and of the 

 progressive steps in the advancement of our planet. 



Once more, as it may be proper to remark, specimens in con- 

 siderable number have been brought to light and put in a more 

 determinate shape in connection with the preliminary work on 

 the Museum collections. The soil removed from many of the 

 Tertiary specimens abounds in minute shells, which are of great 

 value as showing more fully the actual life of the times to which 

 they belong. These specimens have been to a great extent cata- 

 logued, numbered and disposed in vials for safety. They are now 

 ready to take their places, and become permanently incorporated 

 in the several Museum collections which are in process of forma- 

 tion. They consist in part of the young of species already well 

 known in their mature forms ; in part of adult individuals of 

 species which never attain to a large size, and partly of specimens 

 probably both young and adult, representing groups heretofore 

 undescribed. The sands and clays also have been as carefully 

 preserved and accurately labelled, as if they contained gold. 

 And they do contain that which is more precious than gold to 

 the naturalist ; they abound in Foraminifera and other low 

 forms of life, and thus will afford abundant material, and in due 

 time a rich harvest, for the microscopist. 



The collection of specimens which has been gradually accu- 

 mulating on my hands during the last fifteen years, I present to 

 the Museum. In addition to a small variety of recent land and 

 fresh-water shells and a considerable number of mineralogical 

 specimens, it consists for the most part of fossils from various 

 parts of the country, more especially characteristic of the differ- 

 ent horizons of Palaeozoic and Tertiary times. 



For information respecting exchanges, and other additions to 

 the Palaeontological stores of the institution, reference may be 

 made to the report of Mr. Shaler. 



In closing this Report, I desire to refer to the efficient aid I 

 have received from the several young ladies who have acted as 

 my assistants. While receiving benefit themselves, becoming 

 imbued with the spirit of the institution, and acquiring a taste 

 for Natural History, with some knowledge of it, they have en- 

 abled me to devote more time than would have else been pos- 

 sible to critical investigations intimately and necessarily con- 

 nected with the systematic arrangement of the collections. 



