SHELLS, INSECTS, INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY 
CONCHOLOGY 
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 Wiirttemberg were received from Mr. Frank Daulte; a collection 
of shells and alcoholic moUusca 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 TnVin T r,.^^! x j , • 
«Kio ^ u- ^ r , , ^ Brooke presented his valu- 
thetpldmenl ™h " ^^'^'^ ""^ perfection of 
the specmem and containing a large number of ven- rare examples 
was presented in 1890 by Mr. D. Jackson Steward. 
[50] 
