48 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1897. 



Dr. E. L. Mark, of Harvard University, has studied the collection of microscopic 

 slides illustrating the anatomy of the rare forms of Pelecypoda, and Mr. Berlin II. 

 Wright has utilized the collection of Naiades in connection with his studies of that 

 group. 



Mr. T. Waylaud ^'aughan lias had the use of the entire collection of Eocene corals 

 in connection with his researches. 



Prof. G. D. Harris, of Cornell University, utilized the collection in connection 

 with liis work on the lower Eocene fauna^. 



A number of minor investigations of particular groups or species have been made 

 by members of the staff, and also by visitors. 



Miss Jennie A. Letson, of Buffalo, a student of the Academy of 

 Natural Sciences of Pliiladelphia, devoted several weeks to a general 

 study of the Mollusca. In return for the privileges afforded she ren- 

 dered considerable assistance during a portion of the time in the 

 regular work of the department. 



Mr. Charles Schuchert, while making explorations in southern 

 Mississippi, obtained and transmitted to the Museum some interesting 

 specimens of mollusks. 



Mr. William Palmer, of the National Museum, sent in a small number 

 of specimens. 



Dr. Dall mentions the names of 30 persons who have made collec- 

 tions with a view to working out local faunie, and who have in most 

 cases contributed types of new species to the Museum, in return for 

 the work performed by the department in examination and identifica- 

 tion. In this connection it is stated that during the year api)lications 

 for information of various kinds were received from 164 persons, and 

 that compliance with these requests involved the identification of 3,734 

 species of moUusks, besides the in^eparation of a large number of 

 letters. 



Material for examination has been lent to Mr. H. A. Pilsbry, of the 

 Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadeli^hia, and Mr. Berlin H. 

 Wright, of Penn Yan, New York. 



Twenty three papers based upon Museum material have been pub- 

 lished during the year by members of the staff" and other collaborators. 

 The titles of these papers will be found in the Bibliography ( Ai3j)endix 

 IV.) 



At the present rate of progress several years will be required to 

 complete the work of cataloguing, labeling, and arranging for reference 

 the material now on hand. The Jeffreys collection and the material in 

 Professor Verrill's hands nuist be finally administered upon, and the 

 duplicates entirely eliminated from the reserves. 



The total number of specimens in the department of mollusks, exclu- 

 sive of fossils, is estimated to be 032,300. The fossils number about 

 67,000. More than 2,800 entries have been made in the catalogues of 

 recent shells. The total registrations of all kinds, including entries 

 made in the catalogues reserved for fossils, exceeded 18,000, an increase 

 of about 50 per cent over the registrations for the preceding year. 



