EEPOKT ON NATIONAL MUSEUM. 137 



E. n. Miner and H. G. Dresel, U. S, N., Mr. Peter Parker, and Mr., 

 Barton A. Bean. 



The extent of the task may be estimated from the fact that between 

 the time of the beginning of this work, in October, and the first of Jan- 

 uary over 10,000 catalogue cards were written, each containing the 

 name of the species and of the donor, the catalogue number, the locality,, 

 and the size of the jar in which the specimens were contained. In con- 

 nection with this work every specimen is inspected and every receptacle- 

 supplied, when necessary, with fresh alcohol. 



Specimens frequently have to be transferred from old tanks and bot- 

 tles to better vessels. Another laborious task is that of stamping the 

 catalogue number on a strip of block tin and attaching it permanently 

 to each specimen in the reserve series, a work which has been going on 

 during the entire year with the hope of having every specimen in the 

 Museum before long permanently identified by having attached to it an 

 indestructible label. 



Dr. Bean presents the accompanying census of this collection, based 

 upon estimate : 



In reserve series 20, 000' 



On exhibition 20,000 



Duplicates 10,000 



Total 50,000 



And remarks as follows upon its condition and his present methods of 

 administration : 



I am confident that this estimate is below rather than above the real figures. More 

 than 10,000 catalogue cards have already been written for the specimens in bottles, 

 and the work is not more than two-thirds completed. There will be certainly 15,000 

 cards for the identified species, exclusive of large faunal collections, such as those 

 of Alaska, Japan, China, Southern United States, Bermuda, West Indies, and deep 

 sea off the New England coast, all of which are set aside for special reports from ofli- 

 cers of the Museum now employed in their investigation when opportunity can be 

 had. The tank collection is also very large, and will bring up the total number to 

 the figures given above, and probably far beyond. 



As a matter of course, where so many fishes are to be cared for, some of which are 

 received in bad condition, part of the material is poorly preserved and some is fit only 

 to be thrown away. Difiicult as it is to keeii a collection of fishes in good order, and 

 remembering the length of time during which some portions of it have been in this 

 Museum, subjected to the ordinary causes of decay as well as to the wear and tear in- 

 volved in such examination of specimens as has always been permitted here, it is not 

 to be wondered at that we have some mutilated and decayed fishes. Until a thorough 

 overhauling, which is now in progress, is completed, the collection will contain some 

 things which are neither pleasing nor useful. 



The bad element, however, is comparatively small and is rapidly decreasing. With 

 the exception of the salmonoids and allied families proverbially hard to preserve, the 

 bottled fishes are mostly in good condition. Many of the tanks used for holding large 

 fishes are leaky and their tin lining is worn off, so that copper stains are frequent oa 

 specimens so kept. We have transferred such lots to newly-tinned tanks, recently 

 received, whenever their condition was noted. 



The fish skins, as might be expected from the nature of such preparations, are gen- 



