50 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1897. 



Ichneumonidfe and some groups of the Micro-hymenoptera, particularly the families 

 CyuipidiB and Chalcidid;e, besides doing much work in naming and rearranging the 

 Aculeate Hymenoptera, and in labeling and cataloguing the type specimens in all 

 orders. 



Prof. Carl F. Baker of Fort Collins, Colorado, is monographing the families Jassidse 

 and Cercopida?, and Prof. H. E. Summers is doing similar work with the Hydrobatidfe. 



The explorations of Dr. W. L. Abbott in tbe Malay Peninsula, of Mr. 

 Albert Koebele in China, Japan, and Australia, and of Kev. I). W. 

 Snyder in the Congo region. West Africa, have resulted in the addition 

 to the collections of many new and rare forms. Eeference has already 

 been made to the material obtained. During the summer of 1890 Mr. 

 Rolla P. Currie made collections in Korth Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, 

 and Wyoming. Many of the specimens obtained probably represent 

 well-known species, although, a few are rare or new, while others will 

 help to fill up gaps in the systematic collection. In November, Mr. Currie 

 accompanied Prof. O. F. Cook to Liberia, where he made quite exten- 

 sive collections of Arthropoda. The material collected bad not, how- 

 ever, reached Washington at the close of the fiscal year. 



In the chapter treating of " Material lent for investigation" a reference 

 will be found to the specimens sent out from this department for study. 



Thirty-seven papers based upon material in the Museum have been 

 published during the year by members of the staff of this department, 

 and five others by persons not officially connected with the Museum. 

 The titles of these papers are given in the Bibliography (Appendix IV). 



There were 13,217 specimens received during the year, and 239 

 entries were made in the catalogue. The total number of specimens 

 uow^ in the collection, including some material which has been received 

 on deposit, is estimated at 643,000. 



DEPARTMENT OF MARINE INVERTEBRATES. 



Mr. Richard Rathbun, who was recently appointed Assistant Secre- 

 tary of the Smithsonian Institution, continues to act as honorary 

 curator of this department. He states that during the year the entire 

 collection has been overhauled, the jars supplied with new stoppers, 

 when necessary, and the alcohol replenished. Catalogue cards have 

 been made for all the specimens entered on the books. Eight collec- 

 tions of marine invertebrates have been sent to educational institutions, 

 and a considerable number of special collections have been prepared 

 and distributed, most of the latter, however, having been sent in 

 exchange. 



An exhibit, consisting of five cases of echinoderms, corals, and 

 sponges, was prepared for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition, at 

 Nashville. The echinoderms were arranged in systematic order, the 

 corals and si^onges being grouped in an attractive manner. A fine 

 series of commercial sponges, crustaceans, and corals was lent to the 

 XJ. S. Fish Commission for its exhibit at Nashville. 



The work of separating the material collected by the Fish Commis- 



