DEPARTMENT OF MOLLUSKS. 16T) 



It will be observed that this is equal to 5,171 registrations, so far as 

 the clerical labor is concerned, and if we add to it the regular entries 

 for the year in the Museum Register, we have a total of about 7,700 

 entries as against about 5,800 for 1890-'91. As the staff, by reason of 

 Dr. Stearns' absence was diminished by one person, the equivalent at 

 the lowest estimate of 25 per cent of its efficiency, this record may be 

 regarded as satisfactory. 



Besides the work above referred to, the general operations of the 

 department comprise the preparation of special reports on collections 

 made under governmental auspices by various organizations, such as 

 the Fish Commission, the Navy, the Revenue Marine, the Agricultural 

 Department, and special expeditions. In this line various papers have 

 been printed by the writer and other members of the staff, a reference 

 to which will be found in the Bibliography (Section iv). Among them 

 is a paper forming Part G of Bulletin 39 of the U.S. National Museum, 

 containing instructions for collecting and preserving mollusks, notes 

 on the arrangement, outfit, and cataloguing of collections, and the con- 

 struction of dredges. This it is thought will be of use to collectors be- 

 ginning work on the Mollusca, and will save much clerical work in 

 writing out such instructions at short notice, as has been required fre- 

 quently in the past on the starting of expeditions undertaking natural 

 history work. 



ACCESSIONS. 



The number of accesssions during 1891-'92 was 85, against 79 in 

 1890-'91. Several of them comprised large series of valuable and inter- 

 esting forms, many of which are new to the collection. Among the 

 most interesting the following may be noted: 



From Mr. C. F. Ancey were received a number of rare and peculiar species from 

 Africa, iucluding several of the forms found only in the south African Lake Tangan- 

 yika. 



Mr. W. G. Biuney presented the blocks of figures used in bis publications of the 

 past two years, thus making them available for use in future publications of the 

 Museum. 



Mr. R. W. Brown, of Washington, has continued to present to the Museum the 

 numerous land-snails, etc., which are found from time to time in his importations of 

 foreign fruit, so that we have had the opportunity of observing in a living state in 

 an improvised snailery, several of the peculiar types of Antillean pulmonates. 



The heirs of the late Oliver N. Bryan, of Marshall Hall, Md., in accordance with 

 bis Avisli presented his collection of fossils, Indian relics, etc., to the National Mu- 

 seum, by which quite a number of line and interesting fossil mollusks Jell to the share 

 of this department. 



To Dr. J. C. Cox, of Sydney, New South Wales, through Mr. Charles Hedley of the 

 Australian museum, we are indebted lor alcoholic specimens of the remarkable Ephip- 

 podonta Macdougallii Tate, a bivalve related to GaJeomma and on which an investi- 

 gation of its anatomy may be based. 



Through Mr. Hugh Fulton, of London, by exchange and purchase a number of rari- 

 ties not otherwise obtainable have been received, including a line specimen of the 

 extremely rare Voluta aulica which formerly belonged to the Barclay collection. 



