4-_> REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1896. 



Prof. E. L. (ireene, of tlie Catholic University of America, made 

 frecjueiit visits to tlie lierbariiim for the purpose of conducting investiga- 

 tions in certain orders; Prof. C. F. Wheeler, of the Michigan Agricul- 

 tural College, spent several weeks in the spring of 1896 studying the 

 genus Carer; J)r. N. L. Britton, of Columbia College, Xew York City, 

 was engaged in the herbarium about the same time in making critical 

 observations on certain eastern species; Mr. C. S. Sargent, Jamaica 

 Plain. Mass., examined the Conifeni? and Palmaceai, and Mrs. E. G. 

 Britton, of Xew York City, was engaged for about two weeks in May 

 in the study of mosses, especially those from Alaska. 



Dr. Theodore Gill has had access to the collections of fishes while 

 prosecuting his work upon the families and their relationship. Prof B. 

 W. Evermann, of the United States Fish Commission, has examined 

 the collections in the same department in connection with his work 

 upon material recently collected by the Commission, and also in con- 

 nection with the preparation of Bulletin 47 of the United States 

 National Museum entitled "The Fishes of North and Middle America," 

 by David S. Jordan and B. W. Evermann. This work was nearly all 

 in type at the close of the fiscal year. Prof. A. E. Verrill, New Haven, 

 Conn., who is engaged in the i)reparation of a report on the West 

 Indian starfishes, si)ent about a week in the laboratory of the depart- 

 ment of marine invertebrates, during which time he identified a large 

 number of specimens, and selected others which he desired to have 

 sent to him for more critical examination. 



Dr. W. F. Hillebrand, of the United States Geological Survey, was 

 engaged for a time in an investigation of the fluorescence of wollaston- 

 ite, and Prof. R. L. Packard has continued to make use of the collections 

 in the department of geology. 



Dr. W. J. Hoffman of this city has prepared for publication a paper 

 on the "Graphic Art of the Eskimos," the work being based upon a 

 study of the collections in the Museum. Mr. J. D. McGuire, Ellicott 

 City, Md., who published a paper in the Report for 1894, entitled 

 "Primitive Methods of Drilling," has been engaged during the present 

 fiscal year in the study of the pipes used by the American aborigines, 

 with a view to the preparation of a paper on that subject. Dr. J. 

 Hampden I'orter has in course of preparation a paper on the foods of 

 lirimitive people, and has made use of the Museum collection m this 

 connection. Mr. H. A. Hazeu of this city was granted the privilege of 

 examining the collection of kites. Dr. J. Walter Fewkes was engaged 

 during the winter in the ])rei)aration of an illustrated catalogue of tlie 

 material collected by him in Arizona during the previous summer. 



