68 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1896. 



In transposing tlio c<.llc(tious the small tower room leading from the gallery was 

 abandoue.!, and also all the cases in the hall of the west basement. 



The northwest tower, opening from the exhibition hall, was titted with additional 

 shelving, and certain collections of annelids and anomurans which were needed for 

 study, and other material, has been stored there. 



Dnring the year the alcoholic collections have been examined, alcohol added to 

 replace t1iat lost by evaporation, and stoppers and rubbers renewed where necessary. 



A new card catalogue has been started, with cards of the library bureau size. 

 Labels i)rinted on red paper are now used for jars and bottles containing type speci- 

 mens, and a white label with the word "type" printed in large red capitals is placed 

 inside the jar. 



An exceedingly interesting addition to the exhibition series in this 

 department consists of a type series of Foraniinifera mounted for micro- 

 scopic e.xaminatiou in such a manner as to make it readily accessible 

 to the public. This series was prepared by Dr. J. M. Flint, IT. S. N., 

 who has prepared for publication a description of the method of mount- 

 ing and also of the specimens included in the series. 



An article containing instructions for the preservation of specimens, 

 and intended especially for collectors on board ship, was prepared for 

 publication by the Fish Commission. 



In addition to the paper already mentioned as having been published 

 by Mr. Benedict, five others, based upon Museum material, have been 

 published by various collaborators. Several new genera and some 

 thirty- five new species are described in these papers. 



The work already planned for the future includes the placing upon 

 exhibition of one or more specimens of each species of invertebrates in 

 the Museum collections whose bathymetrical range exceeds 1,000 feet; 

 the preparation of an educational series embracing all of the principal 

 groups of invertebrates, for distribution to high schools and academies, 

 and the i)reparation of a complete card-catalogue of the types in the 

 department, with reference* to the original description, type local- 

 ity, etc. 



The number of specimens received during the year exceeded 4,800. 

 The following statement shows the number of catalogue entries: 



Group. 



Crustaceans 



Worms 



Bryozoaiis and Ascidians 



Echinodcnus and Coelenterates. 

 Sponges iiud Protozoans 



Total. 



Entries to 

 June 30, 1895. 



18,811 

 4,971 

 2,888 



18, 149 

 7,486 



Entries to 

 June 3C, 1896. 



19, 475 

 4,972 

 2,888 



18, 537 

 7,489 



Numl)er of 

 entries dur- 

 ig year. 



664 

 I 



388 

 i 



1,056 



HELMINTHOLOGICAL COLLECTION. 



Several series of specimens have been added to this collection during 

 the year, the most important being the one deposited by the Bureau of 



