1913.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 703 



So far as studied, these collections show that the fossil faunas of the 

 several islands are much more closel}" related to one another than are 

 the living faunas. The theory that the islands are portions of a 

 former large land-area, now dismembered by subsidence, is therefore, 

 emphatically supported by the new data obtained. Collections 

 were made on Oahu, Molokai, Hawaii, and the uninhabited island 

 Kahoolawe. The success of the expedition was largely due to the 

 generous hospitality of the Bishop Pauahi Museum, Doctor C. 

 Montague Cooke, Mr. George Cooke, Mr. Irwin Spalding, Mr. D. 

 Thaanum, and others, who in many ways assisted the investigation. 



The time of the Special Curator since his return has been largely 

 occupied with work on material brought back and with the current 

 work of the department. Papers have been published on Lower 

 Californian Helices and various other topics and Mr. Vanatta pub- 

 lished upon new marine mollusks. 



With the assistance of Dr. A. P. Brown, who devoted considerable 

 time to the work, progress has been made in the arrangement of the 

 invertebrate fossils. Dr. Brown has presented to the Academy a 

 collection of Oligocene fossils which he made in Antigua and de- 

 scribed in the Proceedings of the Academy. 



Miss Winchester, artist of the department, has continued her 

 work throughout the year. Mr. Vanatta was assigned to work in 

 the Entomological Department on April 1st, but since December 1st 

 has returned to the Department of MoUusca. The Curator has 

 also had the assistance of Miss Ziegler, who has spent five months 

 in assorting minute shells from the Hawaiian Islands. 



H. A. PiLSBRY, 



Special Curator. 



Report of Curator of William S. Vaux Collections. 



During the past year, the collection of minerals was removed to 

 its new quarters in what was formerly the Library Hall, and during 

 the past few months, with the assistance of Mr. S. G. Gordon, rapid 

 progress has been made on the cataloguing, and numbering of the 

 mineral specimens. 



Twenty-two specimens have been added to the collection during 

 the year, in the selection of which, the established precedent of 

 securing quality rather than quantity has been adhered to. The 

 most important accessions include a suite of aerolites from Hol- 

 brook, Ariz.; tantalum, Altai Mountains; andorite, Oruro; enargite. 



