46 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1897. 



In order to provide additioual material to take the place of the alco- 

 holic specimens, which will inevitably deteriorate, it will be necessary 

 to collect, from time to time, the fishes of our coasts, even the common 

 forms. 



There were 2,110 specimens received during the year, tlie total num- 

 ber of specimens in the collection being estimated at 150,000. These 

 figures are the same as those given in the last report, since the material 

 distributed, in connection with a small amount of useless duplicate 

 material which has been discarded, is about equal to the receipts for 

 the year. The last catalogue entry on June 30, 189G, was 47687, and on 

 June 30, 1897, 48471. 



DEPARTMENT OF MOLLUSKS. 



Dr. William H. Dall, honorary curator, states that there were 149 

 accessions to the collection of mollusks during the year, as compared 

 with 118 for the preceding year. It is estimated that these accessions 

 embrace more than 10,000 specimens, which is three times the number 

 included in the accessions for 189r)-96. While many of the accessions 

 were not large or important, on the whole an unusual number of desir- 

 able species were received and, as a result, many gaps in the reserve 

 series have been filled. 



The curator calls special attention to the following contributions: 



The most important accessions are those due to the generosity of Rev. L. T. Cham- 

 berlain, of New York City, who, as in past years, has contributed by the purchase 

 of <lesirab]e material, especially UnionidiP. Much-needed publications bearing on 

 the same subject have also been secured. The most important single lot of speci- 

 mens comprised 232 sjiecies and over 700 specimens from the well-known Salle col- 

 lection, recently sold in Paris. 



Next in importance is a series of 200 species and 315 specimens purchased to com- 

 plete the series exhibited at Nashville. All of these will be added to the reserve 

 series and will supply many deticiencies. 



Thirdly, there should be mentioned a quantity of material received from the U. S. 

 Fish Commissiou, comprising about 5,700 specimens. Among these are many desir- 

 able additions to our collections of North Pacific mollusks. 



A collection containing about 400 species, largely from the Island of Cuba and 

 adjacent regions, was purchased, adding a number of desiderata to the Museum 

 series. 



Among the smaller lots which are worthy of special mention are the following: 



From Dr. W. L. Abbott was received a small but interesting series of shells from 

 the Malay Peninsula. All of the material was new to the collection, and it included 

 a number of fine specimens, among them a new species of Nanhm. 



Mr. J. S. Arnheim, of San Francisco, presented 50 or 60 miscellaneous species, most 

 of which were desiderata. 



Rev. E. H. Ashmun, Albuquerque, New Mexico, presented several small lots of 

 interesting land shells from New Mexico and Arizona. These included a few new 

 species. 



From the Australian Museum, Sydney, New South Wales, 29 species of most 

 desirable Australian land shells were received in exchange. 



Mrs. T. S. Oldroyd, Los Angeles, California, has continued her researches into the 

 fauna of San Pedro and has presented a number of species not before represented 

 in the collection from that locality. Some of these were undescribed. 



