64 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1884. 



Among the more interesting of the naval contributions are several col- 

 lections of crustaceans and echinoclernis obtained by Dr. W. H. Jones, 

 U. S. N., in different parts of the Pacific Ocean. A number of valuable 

 collections, carefully identi tied, liavealso been received from competent 

 European authorities, and will be of great service in the elaboration of 

 new materials contained in the Museum. 



The increase of accessions to this department has been so great dur- 

 ing the year, especially by reason of the material furnished by the Fish 

 Commission, that, even with the aid of three or four assistants, little 

 more could be done than to take care of the new material. 



(i) Department of Invertebrate Fossils (Paleozoic Section). 



The collections of this department are arranged in 13 unit table cases, 

 and in office trays equivalent in capacity to as many more. Mr. Walcott 

 estimates the total number of specimens at 25,000, including the old 

 Smithsonian collections, and the accessions from the recent Govern- 

 ment surveys and other sources up to the present time. The most im- 

 portant accession of the year is that of Devonian and Carboniferous 

 fossils from the United States Geological Survey, many of them types 

 of new si)ecies, and forming the basis of Mr. Walcott's recent report 

 upon " The Paleontology of the Eureka District, I^evada." 



Mr. Walcott has devoted his time chiefly to the identification and 

 labeling of the accessions, and has, as far as possible, advanced the 

 work of arranging the old collections of the Smithsonian Institution. 

 Inasmuch as the curator holds the position of paleozoic paleontologist 

 of the United States Geological Survey, it is impossible that progress 

 in the work upon the Museum collections can be as rapid as would be 

 the case were it practicable for Mr. Walcott to devote his entire time 

 to these. It must, however, be remembered that these result, from his 

 work in connection with the Geological Survey, in many important addi- 

 tions to the Museum collections. 



A comparison between the unassorted condition of the collections 

 under Mr. Walcott's care in the winter of 188P> with their present state 

 of classification and arrangement makes evident the fact that this de- 

 partment is among the most highly developed in the Museum. 



(k) Department of Invertebrate Fossils (Meso-Cenozoic Section). 



The accessions of the year in this department consist of 85 boxes 

 from the Geological Survey, embracing collections made in California, 

 Oregon, New Jersey, Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi, and 15 miscel- 

 laneous lots sent from private sources to the Museum. The catalogue 

 numbers 1,158 entries. From Dr. White, the curator of this depart- 

 ment, as from many others, there comes a request for more room ; these 

 requests we are striving to grant as rapidly as the appropriation for 

 the construction of cases will allow, but it is doubtful if the necessi- 

 ties of the case can be fully met until a new building can be put up. 



