KEPOKT OF THE SECRETARY. 45 



valiijiblc material to furtlier liis \\ork in any order, I sliall feel amply 

 rewarded for the action I Lave taken." 



A recent census of tlic national collection of insects has been taken, 

 the results of which are published in the curator's report for the year. 



XI. department of Marine Invertebrates. — The U. S. Fish Cominis- 

 sion has continued to be the principal contributor to this department, 

 which is in charge of Mr. Eichard Eathbuu. The steamer yl?i«Yro.s-.s' 

 remained in active service during the most of the year, making explora- 

 tions along the entire eastern coast of North America, from the Grand 

 Bank of Newfoundland to Southern Florida and the Bahamas. A large 

 part of the region visited, and especially the imi)ortant fishing banks 

 located off the coast 'of the British provinces and the deep-water areas 

 about the Bahama Eeefs, had never been systematically investigated 

 before, and the biological results were, therefore, of the greatest value. 

 Over two hundred and fifty successful hauls were made with the dredge, 

 beam trawl, and tangles, the deepest cast having been in 2,731 fathoms, 

 or considerably over 3 miles. The amount of material obtained was 

 very large, and many of the groups of marine invertebrates are now in 

 the hands of siDCcialists for study. Important contributions Nvere also 

 received from other sources: notably a fine series of deep-sea soundings 

 from the southern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, made by the U. S. S. 

 Enterjn-ise, and large collections from the Western and Northwestern 

 coasts off America and Siberia. One of the most interesting accessions 

 consists of microscopical x)reparations of nearly two hundred species 

 of British sponges, mainl}^ described or identified by the late Doctor 

 Bowerbank, and supplied by Ciinon A. M. Norman, a distinguished 

 English naturalist, to whom the Museum was previously indebted for 

 important exchanges. 



The west hall of the Smithsonian Institntion, which has served as a 

 work-room for this department during most of the past three years, has 

 been permanently opened to the public, although no considerable 

 changes have recently been made in the arrangement of the display 

 collections. The northwest gallery of the main hall is now used for the 

 storage and examination of the drietl sjiecimens of marine invertebrates, 

 and an additional large store-room has been fitted uj) in the basement 

 for alcoholic collections which have had an unparalleled growth- during 

 the past few years. The work of identifying the collection of Echini 

 has been completed, and that group is now conveniently arranged for 

 reference and study. It contains 152 species, many of which are repre- 

 sented by extensive series of specimens covering a wide range of distri- 

 bution. A list of all the specimens has been prepared for publication. 

 The Hon. Theodore Lyman has continued his work upon the collection 

 of Ophiurans belonging to the Museum, and is now engaged in study- 

 ing the specimens obtained by the steamer Albatross south of Cape 

 Hatteras, and those from the western coast of North America, includ- 



