76 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1896. 



Scliuchert has also completed a study of the American fossix Apodidse, 

 the manuscript of which has beeu turned over to the editor. The "Syn- 

 opsis of American fossil Brachiopoda," by the same author, referred to 

 in the last Annual lleport, was completed during the present year, 

 and is now being revised. A short summary of this work has already 

 appeared in Science. The titles of two or three other papers by Mr. 

 Schuchert are given in the Bibliography (Appendix iv). Mr. F. A. 

 Lucas has begun a study of the character and affinities of the spe- 

 cies of Zeuglodon, and a study of the species of the North American 

 bison, with synopses of their salient characters, is well advanced. A 

 posthumous pa]ier of Dr. Joseph Leidy, edited by Mr. Lucas, has been 

 published. It is entitled "Fossil Vertebrates from the Alachua Clays 

 of Florida." Mr. David White has made considerable progress with 

 the description of new species in the Lacoe collection, regarding which 

 Professor Lesquereux left some manuscript. Dr. R. R. Gurley has in 

 preparation a revision of American Graptolites. This work will be 

 published by the United States Geological Survey, but is based upon 

 material which will become the property of the Museum. Mr. T. W. 

 Stanton has published a work entitled "Contributions to the Creta- 

 ceous Paleontology of the Pacific Coast." This is an illustrated work, 

 and contains descriptions of about fifty new species and one new genus. 



The explorations which have resulted in enriching the collections 

 include those of Mr. Schuchert in Xew York, Ontario, and Michigan, 

 already referred to indirectly in the statement regarding important 

 accessions, and those made by the United States Geological Survey. 

 IMuch of the material collected by the Survey during the present year 

 has not yet been transferred to the Museum. It includes, however, a 

 fine collection of Lower Silurian fossils from Valcour Island, Lake 

 Champlaiu, and a collection of trilobites from Rome, N. Y. Although 

 the Zeuglodon material collected by the assistant curator in 1894 was of 

 great interest and value, no good skull and none of the bones of cer- 

 tain portions of the skeleton were secured. For this reason it is very 

 desirable to continue these explorations with a view to securing the 

 missing parts, if possible. 



Material for study has been sent to ten specialists during the year. 

 Dr. R. R. Gurley, Prof. Alpheus Hyatt, Cambridge, Mass., and Prof. 

 H. F. Osborn, American Museum of Natural History, New York City, 

 conducted investigations in the department. These matters are refer- 

 red to more at length in the chapters entitled "Material Lent for 

 Investigation" and "The Work of Students and Investigators at the 

 Museum." 



A preparator of plants and invertebrate fossils has been employed 

 during the year. -It has not yet been possible, however, to appoint a 

 preparator of vertebrate fossils, although the need for such an assistant 

 is greatly felt. The necessity for additional cases to relieve the crowded 



