REPORT OF ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 61 



sion and stored at the museum of Yale University lias been carried on 

 during the year under the direction of Professor Verrill, although no 

 specimens have been received at the National Mnseum. 



The condition of the exhibition and study series is practically the 

 same as indicated in the lJei)ort for last year. 



There was an increase of 13 in the number of accessions, the total 

 having been 82. The material received from the U. S. Fish Commission 

 is not nearly so valuable as that received during the ])ieceding year. 

 On the other hand, the value of tlie accessions from outside sources 

 has greatly exceeded that of the accessions for 180o-9(j. 



The material of greatest importance is here mentioned: 



One buiulred aud twenty-four microscopic slides of Adriatic sponges (purchase); 

 from the State University of Iowa, tbroujih Prof. C. C. Nutting, 14 species of crabs 

 and 52 niicroseopic slides of Plnuiularian bydroids, collected ebielly by tbe biolog- 

 ical expedition made by tbo University to the Bahamas and Florida Keys in 1893 

 (exchange) ; from the Museum of Natural History, Paris, through Prof. E. L. Bouvier, 

 72 species of crabs (exchange); from the Koyal Zoological Museum, Turin, Italy, 

 throuuh Mr. .Joseph Nobili, 34 species of Crustacea (exchange); from the Koyal 

 Museum of Natural History, 15crlin, Germany, 32 species of crabs (exchange); from 

 the Zo(»b)gical Museum, Copenhagen, through Dr. F. Meinert, 30 species of oralis 

 (exchange); from tbe University of Stockholm, through Prof. Wilhelm Leche, 24 

 species of European Crustacea (exchange); from Dr. K. Koebler, Lyons, France, 21 

 species of invertebrates dredged in the Gulf of Gascogue (exchange); from Prof. 

 D'Arcy W. Thompson, Dundee, Scotland, 16 specimens of Crustacea, chiefly from 

 Davis Straits (exchange); from the Museum of Natural History, Geneva, Switzer- 

 land, through Dr. N. d'Adelung, 12 species of Crustacea (exchange); from the 

 British Museum of Natural History, London, England, 9 species of crabs (exchange). 



Prof. W. P. Hay, Washington, D. C, transmitted 2;") species of Crayfishes, in 

 exchange. Many of these were type specimens. Six species of Crayfishes, described 

 by Dr. Walter Faxon, were sent, in exchange, by the Museum of Comparative 

 Zoology, Cambridge, Ma.ssachusetts. From Cornell University, through Prof. .1. H. 

 Comstock, were received 19 species of invertebrates collected by the Cornell expedi- 

 tion to Gn'cnland in 1896. Eight species of Crustacea and 5 Japanese sponges were 

 purchased. 



Other accessions were as follows: From Mr. F. S. Conant, Johns Hopkins Univer- 

 sity, Baltimore, 29 species of crabs collected in Kingston Harbor, Jamaica (gift); 

 from Dr. E. A. Andrews, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, 17 species of crabs 

 collected in the Bahamas (gift) ; from the U. S. Fish Commissi(m, material obtained 

 in connection with oyster investigations in Long Ishind Sound in 1890 and 1892 

 (gift); from the Fur-Seal Commission, Dr. David S. Jordan, president, invertebrates 

 collected in .Japan and the Bering Sea (gift]' ; from Dr. Leonhard Stejneger, U. S. 

 National Museum, Crustacea aud worms from the Sandwich Islands (gift); from Dr. 

 W. L. Abbott, crabs, lobsters, and shrimps collected in Siam (gift); from Mr. A. W. 

 Anthony, San Diego, California, Crustacea collected on the west coast of Lower 

 California (purchase) ; from H. Farquhar, department of lands ami survey, Welling- 

 ton, New Zealand,.") species of eciunoderms (exchange); from Mr. E. B. Carter, 

 St. Augustine, Florida, 2 pieces of wood eaten by Isopods, also numerous specimens 

 of Isopods from St. Johns Kiver, Florida (gift): from T. D. A. Cockerell, Mesilla, 

 New Mexico, 2 species of Isopods, one of which was iindescribed, from the vicinity of 

 Socorro, New Mexico (gift); from .1. O. Snyder, Stanford University, California, 

 crustaceans, worms, and bydroids collected on the coast of soutliern California 

 (gift) ; from H. N. Lowe, Pasadena. California, crustaceans and echinoderms collected 

 in San Pedro Bay, California (gift). 



