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Mollusks and their shells were among the contributions of the friends of the Institution and in 1857 there were twenty bottles of miscellaneous mollusks in alcohol beside a large number of dry shells in the collection. The expedition of Dr. William Stimpson to Grand Manan in 1853, was aided by the Institution and a quantity of mollusks were collected. In 1854 the Museum Hall was completed but no shells were put on exhibition as far as the reports of that year indicate. Some 2000 species were placed in drawers for study.

In 1855, Dr. Stimpson being on duty with the North Pacific Exploring expedition under Ringgold and Rodgers, an important and valuable series of Mollusks from the China and Japan Seas and the North Pacific were among its fruits. Some collections were also made by the Japan expedition under Commodore Perry. In this way the Museum, though still administered solely with a view to research and not, as a Deposit of haphazard accumulations, began to grow in spite of the authorities, and to excite interest in the public mind.

In 1856, Prof. Henry, in view of these facts, reported that on the whole it was perhaps advisable to accept the custody of the Wilkes collections which, for