68 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIMENS AND INFORMATION FURNISHED. 



During- the year 57G " lots" of specimens (Nos. 4494:-50G9, inclusive) 

 were received for examination from individuals and educational estab- 

 lishments in various sections of the country. Of this material the 

 percentage which has been of sufficient interest for addition to the 

 Museum collections is very small. This branch of the work yields 

 little or no profit to the Museum, since the senders of valuable material 

 almost invariably request its return. Moreover, the condition in which 

 material is received is frequently a source of delay in securing prompt 

 determinations. In many instances the specimens are almost entirely 

 destroyed during- transmittal, owing to insufficient packing. 



Pamphlets describing the manner in which si)ecimens of various 

 kinds may best be collected and prepared for shipment have been 

 widely distributed, and it is hoped that persons desiring to avail them- 

 selves of the facilities which the Museum affords in the identification 

 of specimens will comply with the suggestions which they contain. 



Technical information on various subjects has been furnished to a 

 large number of corres])oudents during the year, and drawings or blue 

 jirints of Museum cases have been transmitted to those who have 

 ajiplied for them. There is hardly a day when from thirty to forty 

 letters are not written in response to communications received from 

 persons seeking definite knowledge of some kind. 



PUBLICATIONS. 



The Annual Report of the Museum for 1895 has been imblished, and 

 the papers in the Ajipendix have also appeared in separate form. The 

 Eeport for 189G is now in type, with the exception of the index, and 

 the proof reading of the administrative portion of the volume for 1897 

 has been completed. 



Volume XIX of the Proceedings has been published. Most of the 

 papers in this volume were issued in separate form during the preced- 

 ing fiscal year. The last four, however, were published since July 1, 

 1897. Papers 1124-1139, inclusive, constituting Volume xx, have 

 appeared. 



The titles of all jjapers which have been published in separate form, 

 during the year are given in Appendix v. 



The text of Bulletin 47 is now all in type, with the exception of the 

 <' addenda." The work, when completed, will consist of three volumes 

 and an atlas. 



Another of the series of pamphlets containing directions for collect- 

 ing and preserving natural history specimens has been issued.' This 

 paper is by Prof. T. D. A. Cockerell, and contains instructions for the 

 collection of scale insects. Circular 48, which has also been published, 



' Bulletin 39, Part L. 



