176 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1892. 



The other more important accessions wore the following : From the 

 Australian Museum, Sydney, New South Wales, 24 species of Aus- 

 tralian echini, 14 of which were new to our collection, 13 species of As- 

 teroidea and 50 species of brachyura and anomoura ; the Rev. < "anon A. 

 M. Norman, of England, Uli species of European Paguridse and Pycno- 

 gonidse ; Mr. George S. Brady, England, a named series of British fresh 

 water CyclopidaB; Rev. H. Loomis, a large dried collection of crusta- 

 ceans, echinoderms and sponges, 'from Japan; the Otago Museum, Dune- 

 din, a collection of New Zealand crustaceans; Mr. John Murray, Edin- 

 burgh, Scotland, many specimens of hermit crabs, Ewpagurus, from the 

 Firth of Clyde; Mr. P. L. Jouy, a number of fresh- water crabs and 

 crayfishes from Lake Chapala, Mexico, and crustaceans, echini, and 

 worms from Gruaymas; Dr. T. H. Morgan, of Bryn Mawr College, a coh- 

 lection of crustaceans from Jamaica; O. F. Cook and H. R. Jaquay, a 

 series of Oniscidse from different parts of the United States; the King- 

 ston Exposition, Kingston, Jamaica, a large and very tine series of 

 dried specimens of commercial sponges; J. C. Henderson, jr., and C.T. 

 Simpson, a miscellaneous assortment of crustaceans from the west coast 

 of Florida; Lieut. F. E. Sawyer, U. S. Navy, Brazilian crustaceans ob- 

 tained during a trip in connection with the World's Columbian Expo- 

 sition. The remaining contributions, while of smaller size than those 

 enumerated, have also added many valuable specimens to the collection. 



Two half-unit upright cases filled with large jars of especially inter- 

 esting alcoholic specimens, such as crinoids, deep-sea pennatulae, echi- 

 noderms, and crabs, have been added to the exhibition series in the tish 

 hall, and Mr. Benedict has also experimented in the matter of making- 

 dried preparations of crustaceans for display purposes. This it is not 

 generally difficult to accomplish with the brachyurans or true crabs, but 

 the hermit crabs and shrimps arc less amenable to such treatment, owing 

 to their thinner shells and more delicate appendages, it is expected, 

 however, that entirely satisfactory specimens can be prepared by care- 

 ful treatment, and if the trials now being made turn out successfully it is 

 proposed to increase the display collection. Another direction in which 

 experimental work is being conducted by Mr. Benedict has reference to 

 the manufacture of a plastic substance suitable for making reproduc- 

 tions of the softer animals and sufficiently durable for exhibition pur- 

 poses. His efforts have already met with much success and promise im- 

 portant results not only for this, but also for several of the other de- 

 partments of the Museum. 



The customary routine work of the department, such as the mainte- 

 nance of the collections, the periodical overhauling of all the speci- 

 mens to insure their preservation by the renewal of alcohol or the 

 removal of Museum pests, the assorting of recent additions, their cata- 

 loguing, labeling, etc., has been regularly attended to, and has occu- 

 pied a very huge amount of time. In the course of all systematic 

 studies the specimens of each species regarded as duplicates have been 



