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8

the proprietor of what was then the finest collection of shells in the world, for exchange and distribution. [[strikethrough]] In [[/strikethrough]] To the identification of the type series of the National collection taken by Dr. Carpenter to England, Mr. Cuming gave much labor and time; which was the more generous as he was a dealer and had the reputation of being a keen business man. It is true he was to some extent remunerated by duplicates for his own use, but it is certain that these were not an equivalent for his work on the series which were returned to Washington. 

In 1865 the Smithsonian building [[strikethrough]] at Wash [[/strikethrough]] was devastated by fire, which burned out the upper floor and roof of the central part, as well as several of the towers. Though the museum etc. were in the lower storey, to which fire did not penetrate, dust, soot and water, together with more or less hurried removal of specimens to make room for material from above, did great injury to the collection of shells. They had been mounted on glass by Dr. Carpenter and many of the glasses were broken the shells detached from others, and soot and dirt well diffused over all. The cheap and inferior cases of that day offered little protection to the specimens, even to those in the drawers.