Correspondence, notes, drawings, expense documents, news clippings, and ferry and rail time tables are arranged alphabetically by either correspondent or scientific name of specimen. There appears to be no specific rule which determines where a particular item is filed, and correspondence with individuals is often filed by scientific name. This collection division includes material on the collection and description of specimens, professional correspondence on fossil whales, and information on collecting localities. Some items of note include a geological cross section of Calvert formation at Chesapeake Beach, Maryland; 5-page list of Miocene fossil specimens from Virginia and Maryland, noting location, scientific name, and additional geographical information, and news clippings discussing the construction of a rail line through Washington DC/Maryland area. Specimen collecting locations include Virginia (along the Potomac and Nomini Cliffs), Maryland (Chesapeake Beach, Patuxent River), and Canada. There are numerous references to Cretacean and whale fossils.
Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu.