REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 39 



The collec'tionH aiv in excellent comlitinn, and totally free from nniHeuni pests. 

 During April and May all the cabinets and boxes were examined for museum pests, 

 and not a specimen was found infested. It is the first year in the history of the 

 division that such a state of affairs has existed, and this is due jirincipally to the fact 

 that a large jiercentage of the insects is now permanently arranged in the lu^w stand- 

 ard insect drawers. 



The identification of species and the frequent rearrangement of the different orders 

 still continues. Most of the orders are now arranged more or less satisfactorily, 

 except the exotic material. The exotic material, ]>articularly in the orders Rhyn- 

 chota, Orthoptera, Coleoptera and Lepidoptera, is only partially arranged and 

 identified, and it will take many months, if not two or three years, ])efore all can be 

 satisfactorily arranged and identified. 



Doctor Dyar has done much work on the Lepidoptera, Mr. Schwarz on the Coleop- 

 tera, Mr. Coquillett on the Diptera, Mr. Ashmead on the Hymenoptera, Mr. Banks 

 on the Arachnida, Mr. Currie on some of the Neuropteroid insects, particularly on 

 the Oilonata and Myrmeleonidiv, and Mr. Heidemann on some families in the Rhyn- 

 chota. 



The order ( )rtlio})tera, especially the exotic material, is almost entirely nnarranged. 



Reiw'eiK'o has already l^een made to the improvements in the l)otan- 

 ical laboratory. The following- statement by Mr. F. V. Coville, 

 honorary curator of the Division of Plants, explains more fully the 

 character and extent of these changes, as well as the progress of 

 routine Avork during the year: 



During the past year the gallery of the south east range has been extended over the 

 center court and about 1,200 square feet have been added to our floor space. This 

 has enabled us to transfer the cases Avhich were temporarily placed on the exhibition 

 gallery to ])ermanent (quarters as well as to make room for some new cases. After 

 considerable experimenting a very satisfactory case was planned and eighty new 

 cases have been made and put in place. Each ease contains four rows of six pigeon- 

 holes, each of the standard size. In addition to the usual doors which fit against 

 felt strips, a second set of doors can be added. These are only to be used during the 

 process of fumigating. 



The new cases are stacked in nine double rows, the alternate double rows being 

 two cases high, while the other are one case high. These low cases furnish an 

 abundance of table room either for the distribution of specimens into the cases or as 

 a convenient place for the critical examination of plants. Above these table cases 

 five skylights ha\e just been added, which furnish an almndance of light and suitable 

 ventilation. 



During the year the entfre collection has been transferred to zinc-lined cases and 

 poisoned with carbon bisulphide. While this work has been done as carefully as 

 possible, yet it requires a great deal of time and is more or less injurious to the plants. 

 In spite of this care, I regret to say, after the specimens are returned to their proper 

 places in the herbarium, the ravages of the insects are still considerable. 



Three preparators have been engaged in mounting and labeling specimens during 

 the year. The total number of specimens mounted is 24,049 against 22,559 last year. 

 Nearly all of these have been stamped and incorporated into the general herbarium. 



The marking of all accessions with a uniform stamp was begun in 

 1895, and 76,030 sheets had been stamped at the close of the year cov- 

 ered l)y this report. 



