108 KEPORT OF ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



in the record books; 1,358 radiates ; 1,164 crustaceans; 700 sponges and 

 protazoa; and 112 mollusks. 



All the materials in storage have been examined and have received 

 what 'care was necessary. Much work has been accomplished in the 

 way of duplicate material for distribution, it being estimated that over 

 a million specimens, representing one hundred and fifty sj^ecies, are now 

 ready to be distributed in this manner. 



"One of the most important achievements made in this department 

 in 1881," reports the curator, " has been the proper mounting for museum 

 display of nearly all the reserve specimens of corals and sponges now 

 possessed by the Museum." This work has been performed by Mr. E. 

 H. Hawley in the most perfect manner, and he has also just finished 

 mounting a series of the larger and more prominent New England echi- 

 noderms; the larger share of the stony corals mounted and some of the 

 Gorgonian corals are types colfected by the United States Exploring 

 Expedition, labeled by Prof. J. D. Dana, and some recently examined 

 and relabeled by Prof. A. E. Verrill. 



The coral collection is one of great value and beauty, and represents 

 many faunal regions. All of the species of corals known from the fish- 

 ing-banks of eastern North America are represented in it. 



The mounted collection of sponges contains specimens of all the 

 species and of most of the varieties of commercial sponges from Florida, 

 the Bahamas, and the Mediterranean, labeled by Prof. A. Hyatt of the 

 Boston Society of Natural History. In addition are many specimens 

 collected by the United States Exploring Expedition, and from other 

 sources. 



The total number of specimens mounted is 1,031 ; 700 of which are 

 corals; 225, sponges; and 106, echinoderms. 



The corals which have been thus mounted are believed to be more 

 artistically and tastefully exhibited than any similar collection in any 

 other museum in the world. 



The west hall of the Smithsonian Building is now being fitted up for 

 the reception of this collection; the minerals and ceramic specimens, 

 hitherto there displayed, being in process of removal to the new build- 

 ing. The special collection of the cephalopod crustaceans made by Mr. 

 Eathbun, as material for a special investigation now in progress in his 

 laboratory, is one of the finest in the world, filling over seven hundred 

 bottles. Among the most interesting accessions, in addition to those 

 gathered by the Fish Commission, are a number of small lots obtained 

 by the Gloucester fishermen on the off-shore banks, a fine collection of 

 invertebrates from the vicinity of Cherrystone, Virginia, gathered by 

 Col. Marshall McDonald of the Fish Commission; a choice suit of corals 

 from Hayti, the gift of Prof. J. M. Langston, consul-general, at Port au 

 Prince; collections of marine invertebrates gathered by Messrs. Nelson 

 and Turner, and from Japan by Dr. F. C. Dale, U. S. N., and Mr. P. 

 L. Jouy, attached to the U. S. steamer Palos. 



