20 REPOET ON NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1886. 



V 



DEPARTMENT OF MARINE INVERTEBRATES. 



By far the largest part of the material received by this department 

 was obtained by the U. S. Fish Commission steamer Albatross, while en- 

 gaged in making extensive explorations along the entire eastern coast 

 of North America from the Grand Bank of Newfoundland to southern 

 Florida and the Bahamas. The results of this exploration were of great 

 value, since a large part of the region visited had never been systemati- 

 cally investigated before. Over two hundred and fifty successful hauls 

 were made with the dredge and the trawl-net. Among important dona- 

 tions from other sources were a fine series of deep-sea soundings from 

 the Southern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, made by the U. S. steamer 

 Enterprise, and large collections from the western and northwestern 

 coasts of America and Siberia. A most interesting series of microscopi- 

 cal preparations of nearly two hundred species of British sponges, mainly 

 described or identified by Dr. Bowerbank, was supplied by the Eev. A. 

 M. Norman, a distinguished English naturalist. 



The collection of Echini, or Sea Urchins, has now been completely 

 identified and arranged for reference and study. Of this group the 

 Museum possesses 152 species, many of which are represented by ex- 

 tensive series of specimens covering a wide range of distribution. 



The curator has continued his studies of tUe parasitic copei)oda of the 

 Atlantic coast. He has also revised the collection of star-fishes, and 

 thoroughly overhauled the species collected by the U. S. Fish Commis- 

 sion on the Atlantic coast north of Cape Ilatteras. 



Work upon the collection of Ophiurans has been continued by the 

 Hon. Theodore Ljnnan, who is at present engaged in studying the ma- 

 terial obtained by the Albatross south of Cape Hatteras, and that from 

 the western coast of North America, including Alaska. 



The number of catalogue entries during the year has been 7,074, a 

 single entry often representing hundreds of specimens. The total num- 

 ber of specimens at present in the collection is estimated at 350,000. 



DEPARTMENT OV COMPARATIVE ANATOMY. 



The development of the osteological collection has been the chief 

 work undertaken by the acting curator, Mr. True. 



Mr. Lucas has rendered most efficient service in the development and 

 arrangement of the collection. It has been the desire of the curator, 

 to obtain a series of skeletons of thoroughbred domestic animahs and' 

 several specimens representing the important breeds of dogs ha\e been 

 obtained. 



The number of catalogue entries during the year, embracing birds, 

 mammals, fishes, reptiles, and batrachians, was 1,017. The total num- 

 ber of specimens in the collection is now 10,LJ10, A card catalogue of 

 the skeletons of the mammals has been completed. 



