REPORT OF ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 45 



of numerous type specimens and other desiderata. A lar^e portion of 

 the series stored in the west basement lias been relabeled and con- 

 densed, with a view to making" it more accessible. Tlu^ collections on 

 exhibition are referred to in the chapter entitled " Development and 

 arrangement of the exhibition series." 



All of the specimens received during the year have been entered on 

 the catalogue books, and most of them are labeled and installed. The 

 entire collection has been examined from time to time, to insure the 

 preservation of the spet;imeus. In February and March, 1897, an 

 exhibit consisting of deep-sea forms and a series of casts of American 

 fishes was prepared for the Tennessee Centennial and International 

 Exposition at Kashville. 



Small sets of American fishes were distributed to the following 

 foreign institutions: Museo Civico di Storia Xaturale, (^enoa, Italy; 

 Zoologisches Institut, Kiel, Germany; The Australian Museum, Syd- 

 ney, New South Wales; The Natural History Museum, Academy of 

 Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden. 



The preparation of a report upon the fishes collected by the U. S. 

 Fish Commission stQumer Albatross in South American Avaters in 1SS7-88 

 has been continued by the honorary curator. A report has been pre- 

 pared by the assistant curator upon several new fishes from Bering Sea, 

 and the manuscript and drawings are now ready for the printer. The 

 fishes collected by Messrs. Nelson and Goldman in Mexico have also 

 been reported upon by Mr. Barton A. Beau. 



Material has been sent to a number of persons for study, and several 

 specialists have prosecuted investigations in the depai'tment. A refer- 

 ence to these transactions will be found in another i)lace. 



Dr. Theodore Gill, associate in zoology, has, as usual, rendered valu- 

 able assistance during the year. Drs. David S. Jordan, C. H. Gilbert, 

 S. E. Meek, and W. C. Kendall have aided in the examination of doubtful 

 species. 



Two ichthyological works of special importance have been published 

 during the year — Special Bulletin No. 2 of the Museum, entitled Oceanic 

 Ichthyology, by the late Dr. G. Brown Goode and Dr. Tarletou H. Bean, 

 and part 1 of Bulletin No. 47, entitled The Fishes of North and Middle 

 America, by ^Messrs. Jordan and Evermann. Thirteen other i)apers 

 based ny>on INIuseum material have been published, the titles of which 

 will be found in the Bibliograjdiy (Appendix IV.) 



New cases will be constructed for that portion of the collection which 

 was removed from the room above the ofiice of the department. Elec- 

 tric lights have recently been furnished in the basement. 



A portion of the study series has been stored in the exhibition hall 

 for some time past, this condition of things being necessary on account 

 of lack of space. Additional cases should be erected in the basement 

 for the accommodation of these s])e(:imens, the exhibition space thus 

 provided being used for the installation of a collection which will be of 

 popular interest. 



