REPOKT OF ASSISTANT SECKETAKY. 29 



hiui. Kov. E. II. Ashiuuii, Mr, T. S. Oldroyd, und Di-. K. A. Moarns, 

 U. S. A., .should also 1h^ nuMitioned a.s contributors of valu])lc speci- 

 mens. Miss Mar}' J. Kathl)ini collected some 800 mollusks in the 

 waters about Grand Manan, New Brunswick. 



Regarding- accessions to the Division of Insects, Dr. L. O. Howard, 

 honorary curator, reports as follows: 



Tlu' la?t fiscal year was an extraordinary one in the history of the Division of Insects, 

 and it was not expected that snch another one would occur again for some time to 

 come. Notwithstanding this, however, the present fiscal year surpasses it not only 

 in the number of accessions, but, it is believed, also in scientific value. 



In 1897 the accessions numbered only 1.39, a large increase over previous years. 

 In 1898 they mnnbered 246, while this year they reached 285, an increase of 39 over 

 last year. 



On account of the vast number of duplicates in the Hubliard und Schwarz collec- 

 tion, it was estimated that over 226,000 specimens were received, while this yearthey 

 amount to only 125,000. The number of specimens received this year is therefore 

 less than last year, although the number of species is several thousand greater. 



This is due principally to the extensive collection of Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, 

 Siphonaptera, and ^lallophaga, jiresented by Prof. Carl F. Baker, and to the addition 

 of the Ashmead collection, both being exceedingly rich in species and containing 

 types and co-types of species described by these entomologists, as well as those of 

 many other authorities. With these two collections the Museum is now well rep- 

 resented in the orders mentioned above and without doubt surpasses all other col- 

 lections in America. 



The gift by ]\Ir. \V. H. Ashmead, assistant curator, of his private collection, is a 

 most notable one and deserves especial mention. It was largely made by this inde- 

 fatigable worker in the State of Florida, and has been greatly added to by a syste- 

 matic series of exchanges carried on for many years with entomologists in different 

 foreign countries; but perhaps its chief value lies in the large nmnber of types which 

 it contains. Mr. Ashmead's broad entomological knowledge and interest have led 

 him to imdertake systematic work in a number of different groups, and the great 

 value of the gift thus becomes apparent. 



Nimierous invertebrates of other classes were received during- the 

 3^ear, among which should be mentioned -iO lots, chiefly Crustacea 

 (including a number of type specimens), donated by Mr. W. P. Hay, 

 of Washington, D. C. ; a collection of amphipod crustaceans from the 

 New England coast, donated by Dr. S. D. Judd, of Washington, D. C. ; 

 27 species of crustaceans, corals, and echinoderms, donated by Rev. 

 W. A. Stanton, of Balize, British Honduras, and 20 species of crabs, 

 shrimps, and worms, donated by Mr. H, W. Henshaw, of Hilo, Hawaii. 



The accessions to the herbarium during the past ten years have 

 l)een as follows: 



1889-90 370 



1890-91 621 



1891-92 511 



1894-95 670 



1895-96 236 



1896-97 370 



1892-93 567 i 1897-98 307 



1893-94 693 | 1898-99 264 



Among the important additions of the past year was a portion of 

 RugeFs Florida collection, comprising 1,049 specimens, donated by 

 the British Museum. 



