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^[[Ack'd.]]

[[stamp]]Report for 1895[[/stamp]]

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1.  HOW HAS THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30,1895, COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AS FAR AS (1) THE NUMBER OF ACCESSIONS AND (2) THEIR SCIENTIFIC VALUE ARE CONCERNED?
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[[handwritten]]
(1.) The number of accessions has exceeded that of 1894. There were in all 62 contributors of which 56 were individuals and 6, government and other organizations (this includes the accessions from the Costa Rica, Ceylon, Korea & Jahore World's Fair Commissions, which, I believe, have not before been mentioned). Of the contributors, 31 presented one specimen each, and the remainder a larger number; the largest accessions being those from Dr. E. A. Mearns, U. S. A., which contained 708 specimens, and from Dr. W. L. Abbot, which contained 107 specimens.*

Of the government departments[[strikethrough]],[[/strikethrough]] and bureaus, only the U. S. Fish Commission and the National Zoological Park aided in enriching the collections, a very different state of affairs from that formerly prevailing. Several officers of the Army and Navy, however, sent contributions in their individual capacities. The work of Dr. E. A. Mearns, U. S. A., already mentioned, has been a great and valued source of increase, though not official.

(2.) While it is difficult to balance scientific values, I should say that the accessions of 1895 were not less interesting or important than those of 1894.  Dr. Abbott's collection from Eastern Turkestan contains many rare, and some new mammals, and the region in which it was made is important zoologically and not thoroughly explored.

[ * Note.- It should be added that 10 purchases were made, comprising in all 139 specimens, mostly the rarer North American and Central American species, including a series of the rare mole [[underline]]Neürotrichus[[/underline]] and some shrews in which the Museum collection is very deficient.  A deposit of 6 specimens was made by Lt. James M. Bell. ]
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