REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY, 67 



Mas.s. ; Dr. N. L. Biittoii, of the Now York Botanical Gardens; Prof. 

 L. M. Underwood, of Columbia University; Dr. William Trelease, of 

 the Missouri Botanical Garden; Mr. W. W. Ashe, of the North Caro- 

 lina Geolog-ical Survey; Mr. L. F, Henderson, Boston, Mass.; Mr. 

 Alvah A. Eaton, Seahrook, N. H.; Mr. Williard N. Clute, Bin.oham- 

 ton, N. Y.; Dr. B. W. F^vermann and Theodor Holm, Washington, 

 D. C. , and Mr. Anton Heimel, Vienna, Austria. 



The facilities atl'orded by the Department of Geology have been 

 availed of by several persons, including- assistants of the United States 

 Geological Survey. The eruptive rocks from the coast of Maine were 

 studied by Dr. E. C. E. Lord. The types of certain fossil tishes were 

 examined by Dr. A. S. Woodward, of the British Museum. The pale- 

 ozoic tishes were studied l)y Dr. O. P. Hay, of the Ariierican Museum of 

 Natural History, and the fossil gars by Dr. C. K. Eastman, of the 

 Museum of Comparative Zoology. Among others who had access to 

 the collections were Mr, K. B. Rowe, of the Maryland Geological Sur- 

 vey; Mr. PI H. Sellards, of the University of Kansas, and Pi-of. John 

 M. Nichols, of Cincinnati, Ohio. 



Collections of invertebrate fossils Avere lent to Dr. Anton Fritsch, 

 of Prague. Bohemia; Dr. E. Schellwein. of Konigsberg, Prussia, and 

 Dr. G. Hambach. of St. Louis, Mo.; and a number of specimens of 

 fossil horse remains were sent to Mr. J. W. Gidley, of the American 

 Museum of Natural History. 



COOPEKATIOK OF THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS OF THE GOVERNMENT. 



The relations of the Museum with the P^xecutive Departments have 

 been greatly extended during the last few years, especially as regards 

 the War and Navy Departments in connection with their operations 

 across the seas, through the cordial assistance rendered })y officers of 

 these tw^o services. The historical and ethnological collections were 

 the first to be benefited, but latterly more attention has ])een giAon to 

 the natural features of the new possessions, and many interesting con- 

 tributions in zoology and botany are now being received. It is hoped 

 that the interest thus stiimdated will lead to important results in this 

 direction. In P^uropean countries the military branches of the gov- 

 ernments have done nuich toward enriching the coU(»ctions of their 

 national museums, and it would be exceedingly unfortunate Avere the 

 exceptional opportunities now presented to our own country and our 

 own National Museum to be neglected. 



The State Department, through its diplomatic and consular officers, 

 has also ))een instrumental in scM-uring nuich valual)le material. The 

 receipts from the Pish Commission, consisting mainly of zoological 

 I'oUections obtained on the Porto Kican expedition of the steamer 

 T'V.s/i Jlairk^ have ]>een of great interest. The United States Geological 

 Survey has transmitted material from many sources, but of most 



