II.— SPECIAL TOPICS OF THE YEAR. 



THE MUSEUM STAFF. 



There has been no change during the year in the number of scientific 

 (lei)artment8 and sections in the Museum or in the number of adminis- 

 trative divisions. 



Prof. C. ^'. Tviley, honorary curator of the department of insects in 

 tlie National Museum, and for many years entomologist of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, died on September 14, 1895. Mr. L. O. Howard, 

 who was recently ai)pointed entomologist of the Department of Agri- 

 culture, has also accepted the position held by Professor Eiley in the 

 Museum. 



Mr. D. W. Coquillett has been appointed cnstodian of the collection 

 of Diptera, Mr. W. H. Ashmead of the Hymeuoptera, Mr. O. F. Cook 

 of the Myriapoda, and Mr. E. A. Schwarz of the Coleopterous larvae. 



All of the api)ointments above mentioned were made under date of 

 October S, 1895. 



Mr. George C. Maynard, of this city, was appointed custodian of the 

 electrical collections in March, 1896, and Dr. C. Hart Merriam, of the 

 Department of Agriculture, has been made an Associate in Zoology. 



]Mr. 11. K. Karll, editor of Proceedings and Bulletins, died on March 

 19, 1896. Dr. Marcus Benjamin was appointed on April 1 to till the 

 vacancy tlius made. 



A complete list of the officers of the Museum will be found in 

 Appendix i. 



ACCESSIONS TO THE COLLECTIONS. 



There have been 1,299 accessions during the year, an increase of 76 

 over the record for preceding fiscal year, and of 138 over the record for 

 the year ending June 30, 1894. These accessions embrace 73, 104 speci- 

 mens, and were included between accession numbers 29535 and 30833. 

 The appended tables show, respectively, the number of specimens 

 received by the various departments of the Museum during the year, 

 and the total number of specimens in those departments on June 30, 

 1 89(;. It will be seen that the number of specimens now in the Museum 

 is estimated at more than 3,500,000. 



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