REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 19 



Vermes. — First entry (No. 1) February 28, 1881. Number of eutries 

 up to January 22, L890, 1780. 



REPTILE AN'1> BA.TRACHIAN SERIES. 



Cataloguing in this department was commenced in 1850. This cata- 

 logue consists of four volumes. 



Vol. [, from 1 to 2900, covers the period between January, 1850, and 

 July, 1858. 



Vol. ci, from 2901 to 7875, covers the period between July, 1850, and 

 March, 1ST.;. 



Vol. in, from 7870 to 13885, March, 1873, to October, 1884. 



Vol. IV, is now in use. On January 20, 1890, the entries had been 

 carried as far as 15619 — to the end of June, 1889, to 15523. 



INSECT SERIES. 



The Department of Insects has a special catalogue in which are 

 recorded all the additions to the collections since May^ 18, 1883. A 

 single entry may include several hundred specimens. Up to the end 

 of June, 1889, 180 entries had been made. No attempt has been made 

 to affix catalogue numbers to the immense amount of material belong- 

 in g to the Department of Agriculture. The material has been classified 

 according to relationship, the several orders, families, genera, etc., be- 

 in- kept in separate trays. The force of this department is now en- 

 gaged in the preparation of a catalogue based on relationship, in which 

 will" be indicated the number of examples of each species in the Museum 

 collection. 



BOTANICAL SERIES. 



As has already been stated in connection with Vol. xn of the Eth- 

 nology series, Nos. 53926 to 51015 of that volume were taken up in 

 cataloguing (July, 1881) a collection of Japanese plants received from 

 the University of Tokyo. This is the first collection of plants eutered 

 under a consecutive scries of numbers. 



RECENT PLANT SERIES. 



In 1808 the Herbarium of the Smithsonian Institution, already of 

 great extent and value, which had for many years been under the care 

 of Dr. John Torrey in New York City, was placed under the care of 

 the Department of Agriculture, with the understanding that the 

 appointment of the Botanist of the Department of Agriculture (to be 

 charged with its administration) should be subject to the approval of 

 the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. Constant additions have 

 been made to the Herbarium since that time by the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion, and the collection has been also greatly increased through special 

 efforts made by the Botanist of the Department of Agriculture and his 

 assistants. 





