182 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1892. 



mainly devoted to material for the study series, and these additions 

 have been chiefly skeletons of fishes, that class being at present rather 

 poorly represented. It may be said, however, that a number of speci- 

 mens were prepared for mounting, which, owing - to the pressure of 

 other work, could not be finished. A small number of Auzoux models, 

 illustrating certain details of digestion and circulation, have been pur- 

 chased for the exhibition series, as well as sonic for use in connection 

 with the series of invertebrates. 



The details of the work of the preparators are given in the report of 

 the osteological preparatory and it speaks well for the skill and indus- 

 try of the assistants that so much has been accomplished in spite of 

 the many unavoidable interruptions. 



The ever-increasing care of the collections has prevented any special 

 researches, although the assistant curator has devoted a little time to 

 the study of the osteology of the Steganopodes, a group of birds unusu- 

 ally well represented in the Museum. Dr. R. W. Shufeldt, to whom 

 material has been loaned, has continued his work on the osteology of 

 North American birds. Material has been furnished to Prof. Cope, for 

 his work on North American reptiles, and to the Bering Sea Commis- 

 sion in connection with their inquiries concerning the fur seal. 



PRESENT CONDITION OF THE COLLECTION. 



The present state of the collection is good, but if time admitted and 

 space were available, a great deal of work might be most profitably 

 done in labeling and arranging the study series. 



The exhibition series is in good shape, but some changes are needed 

 in a few of the purchased specimens, and some of the labels should be 

 replaced by others more; descriptive in their character. 



The number of specimens on exhibition at the end of the year was 

 as follows : 



Skeletons of — 



Mammals 196 



Birds 71 



Reptiles 39 



Batrachians 7 



Elasiiiobranchs and fishes 35 



Skulls of mammals 63 



Other osteological pieces ">8 



Auzoux anatomical models 25 



Total 494 



The number of osteological specimens on exhibition has been lessened 

 since the report of 1891 by the transfer of some pieces to the Department 

 of Vertebrate Fossils and the temporary withdrawal of a few others. 



* See p. 65. 



