1859.] SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 209 



seen of the Grotto of Antiparos), he made his way to Wash- 

 ington. 



It was one of the special objects of his American tour to 

 examine the types of previously described species of shells, 

 that he might compare them with those known in England. 

 At Washington he wished to study the types of the United 

 States Exploring Expedition, and he called on Dr. Henry, 

 Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution,* with an introduction 

 from the Regents at Albany. After a little conversation, Dr. 

 Henry invited him to take up his abode there (which Philip 

 at first declined on account of his walking-dress). He found 

 it a very interesting visit, and it led to consequences which 



* The following brief notice of this Institution is derived from a very 

 interesting account which appeared in " Harper's Weekly," after the death of 

 Professor Henry at the age of eighty years, May 13, 1S78. There is a 

 fuller account in Philip's Supplementary Report to the British Association for 

 1863, pp. 577-582. Mr. James Smithson was an Englishman of scientific 

 tastes, who died in 1828. He left all his property (about 110,000), after 

 the death of a relative, to the Government of the United States, to found 

 an institution which should bear his name, and be devoted ' f to the increase 

 and diffusion of knowledge among men." In 1846, when about ^50,000 

 had accumulated in interest, Congress appointed a Board of Regents to 

 carry out the trust, and a circular was addressed to the leading scientists 

 in the country to ascertain their views : they were almost unanimous in 

 recommending a university ; but President J. Q. Adams affirmed that it 

 was not the province of a university to increase knowledge, but only to 

 teach it. Dr. Henry, who was then Professor of Physics at Princeton 

 College, suggested the plan, which he was afterwards appointed to work 

 out. It encourages original investigation, and diffuses its results. The 

 building is one of the most striking in appearance in Washington ; and the 

 income, about ^9000 a year, is employed partly in publications and partly 

 in exchanges. Treatises on all subjects are received at the Smithsonian, and 

 those that are approved are printed in the "Contributions to Knowledge." 

 Besides the Annual Report, there is another series — " Miscellaneous 

 Collections : " one of these octavo volumes, No. 252, consists of reprints 

 of most of Philip's papers on the Mollusks of Western North America. 

 These books are sent, under certain conditions, to all public libraries of 

 importance, both in the United States and in Europe. The system of 

 exchanges is remarkable. It transmits, free of cost, collections or books 

 of science which savants may desire to send each other ; and also, from its 

 own stores, sends out about 12,000 specimens a year, which are always 

 accurately labelled. Its parcels pass all custom-houses without examina- 

 tion, and are carried at a low rate by most steamships and railroads. It is 

 said that there are between eight and nine hundred persons scattered over 

 the world who are making collections, or recording observations, to send 

 to the Smithsonian. It is the custodian of the National Museum ; but its 

 National Science Library is now transferred to the care of Congress. 



P 



